Any European troops sent to Ukraine in a peacekeeping mission would be considered “legitimate targets” by Russian forces, the Kremlin announced Thursday.
The Russian Foreign Ministry reiterated that any deployment of European troops in Ukraine would be a dangerous escalation of the conflict, responding to revelations from a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris on Tuesday.
“All such units and facilities will be considered legitimate combat targets of the Russian Armed Forces,” the statement reads. “The plans of these participants are becoming increasingly dangerous and destructive for the future of the European continent and its inhabitants, who are also being forced by Western politicians to finance these aspirations out of their own pockets.”
On Tuesday, the United Kingdom and France signed a declaration of intent to deploy troops to Ukraine. The agreement would create a legal framework for “British, French and partner forces could operate on Ukrainian soil,” though it’s unclear how many troops would be sent and whether they would be sent only after a ceasefire is reached between Kyiv and Moscow.
Russia has long rejected calls for international forces to enter Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin in September used similar language to the Foreign Ministry, declaring that foreign troops in Ukraine would be considered “legitimate targets for destruction.”
Anxiety over foreign troops in Ukraine was a primary motivator for Russia invading the country in 2022, as Kyiv moved to join NATO. Since then, Moscow has insisted that any comprehensive peace plan must reject Ukraine’s membership in the alliance to ensure foreign troops are kept out.
The U.S. has declined to send troops to Ukraine but has committed to security guarantees in an effort to deter Russian attacks. In December, the U.S. proposed a 15-year security guarantee, far below the desires of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who had lobbied for a 50-year guarantee.
