MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected Western proposals to deploy a post-ceasefire reassurance force in Ukraine. He warned foreign troops would be “legitimate targets.” The comments came after a Paris summit where 26 countries agreed to provide security guarantees once hostilities end.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the multinational force would operate by land, sea, or air. He stressed the troops would not engage on front lines or fight Russia but deter future aggression. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the plan a “first concrete step,” although details remain unclear.
Putin dismissed the initiative, saying it was unnecessary if lasting peace is achieved. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the proposals “provocative” and stressed that NATO troops would threaten Russia. Putin said he remains open to dialogue but criticized Kyiv’s stance on territorial issues as “impossible.”
Western leaders insisted the plan is Ukraine’s sovereign right. NATO chief Mark Rutte stressed Russia has “no veto,” while the US ruled out sending ground forces. European diplomats cautioned that premature deployment could strengthen Putin’s narrative of Western escalation.
More than three years into the war, Russia still controls Crimea and parts of four other annexed regions. With both sides holding firm, hopes for an immediate ceasefire remain slim. Western security plans face stiff resistance from Moscow, and a resolution appears distant.