Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a stark warning regarding the presence of Western troops in Ukraine, declaring they would be considered “legitimate targets for destruction” should they enter the conflict zone.
Speaking at an economic forum in Vladivostok, Putin stated, “If some troops appear there, especially now during the fighting, we proceed from the premise that they will be legitimate targets.” His remarks come amid ongoing speculation about increased Western involvement in the war.
The Kremlin has consistently opposed the deployment of foreign forces in Ukraine, arguing that such a move would be unacceptable and pose a direct threat to Russia’s national security.
Putin went on to suggest that the presence of foreign troops would be unnecessary if a peace agreement were reached. “If decisions are reached that lead to peace, to long-term peace, then I simply do not see any sense in their presence on the territory of Ukraine, full stop,” he said, adding that Russia would “comply” with any such agreement “in full”.
The Russian leader also reiterated his offer to host future peace negotiations in Moscow, despite the proposal having previously been rejected. He claimed Russia would “definitely provide working conditions and security” for any talks held on its soil.
However, Putin appeared dismissive of suggestions that peace talks be held in a neutral location. “But if they tell us: ‘we want to meet with you, but you have to go somewhere else for this meeting’, it seems to me that these are simply excessive requests on us,” he said.
Given the fraught history between Russia and Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is unlikely to accept Moscow as a venue for negotiations.
