Putin Warns U.S. And Europe: Sending Troops To Ukraine Before Peace Deal Will Bring Devastation

International News: Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a tough statement on Friday, saying that the Russian army will consider any foreign troops stationed in Ukraine as a 'legitimate target' until a peace agreement is signed. This statement came during a panel discussion at the Eastern Economic Forum held in Vladivostok. Putin said in clear words, "If any troops appear there, especially now that the fighting is going on, we believe that they will be legitimate targets." This comment came just hours after European leaders committed to deploying peacekeeping forces in Ukraine.

Putin flatly rejected the idea of ​​deploying peacekeeping troops in Ukraine. He said Moscow would abide by any peace treaty to end its three-and-a-half-year-long invasion of its neighbour, but that would require strong security guarantees for both Russia and Ukraine. He stressed that no one should doubt Russia's commitment.

Macron's response and the pro-Ukrainian coalition

Putin's remarks came in response to French President Emmanuel Macron's statement in which he said on Thursday that 26 allies of Ukraine are ready to deploy troops as a 'reassurance force' after the war ends. After a meeting of a coalition of 35 pro-Ukraine countries in Paris, Macron announced that 26 of these countries are committed to maintaining their presence on land, sea or air to ensure Ukraine's security after a ceasefire or peace is established.

History of the Russia-Ukraine conflict

Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula in 2014, and almost eight years later, launched a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Moscow has repeatedly described the presence of NATO troops as peacekeepers in Ukraine as 'unacceptable'. Putin's latest remarks are likely to deepen this tension as it challenges the peace efforts of the international community.