At the Eastern Economic Forum held in Vladivostok, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a pointed message to Western nations regarding their proposed military presence in Ukraine. In response to recent pledges by over two dozen countries—including France and the United Kingdom—to deploy a “reassurance force” in Ukraine should a peace agreement be reached, Putin declared that any such foreign troops would be considered “legitimate targets” by Moscow’s military.
“If some troops appear there, especially now during the fighting, we proceed from the premise that they will be legitimate targets,” Putin stated during the forum.
The remarks follow a coalition announcement led by European powers, which outlined plans to station forces on land, sea, and air to safeguard any future peace deal. While the initiative is framed as a security guarantee for Ukraine, Putin argued that such deployments would undermine long-term peace efforts and exacerbate tensions.
Putin reiterated that Russia views Ukraine’s deepening military ties with NATO as one of the “root causes” of the ongoing conflict. He emphasized that if a peace agreement is reached, the presence of foreign troops would be unnecessary and counterproductive: “If decisions are reached that will lead to peace, to long-term peace, then I simply don’t see the point in their presence on the territory of Ukraine,” he added.
The Kremlin’s warning comes amid continued international debate over the role of Western powers in postwar Ukraine. While Kyiv insists that foreign-backed security guarantees are essential to prevent future aggression, Moscow maintains that any such move would escalate hostilities and violate Russia’s strategic interests.