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Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia will consider any deployment of Western troops to Ukraine during the ongoing war as “ligitmiate targets” for his military.

Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, a coalition of 26 countries recently met in Paris to discuss providing Ukraine with long-term security guarantees once a ceasefire agreement is reached. The United Kingdom and France indicated they are prepared to deploy troops into Ukraine after hostilities end, not to engage in combat, but to help ensure that any peace agreement is upheld and to deter renewed Russian aggression. Other countries like Italy, whilenot committing ground forces, offered to contribute intelligence capabilities, surveillance support, and logistical assistance as part of a broader postwar stabilization effort. The discussions focused strictly on a post-conflict scenario, with all participating nations emphasizing that no troop deployments would occur during active fighting.

What’s going on now: While speaking at an economic event in Vladivostok, President Putin warned that any deployment of Western troops to Ukraine during active hostilities would be seen as a direct threat and treated accordingly. “If some troops appear there, especially now, during military operations, we proceed from the fact that these will be legitimate targets for destruction,” Putin said. He framed the potential presence of foreign forces during wartime as a serious provocation and claimed it would escalate the conflict rather than support peace.

Putin also cast doubt on the necessity of foreign troops even after a ceasefire is reached, arguing that their presence would only complicate implementation of any political settlement. “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 stated.

The warning followed a breakdown in potential peace talks between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Putin had invited Zelensky to Moscow for direct negotiations. Kyiv rejected the proposal, noting security issues and saying it was designed to buy Russia more time on the battlefield. Zelensky added that any serious talks should be held in a neutral location (options floated include the Vatican, Türkiye, and Switzerland).