Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a stark warning, saying that any Western or NATO forces sent to Ukraine would immediately be treated as “legitimate targets” by Moscow’s military.
This statement comes shortly after former U.S. President Donald Trump met with European leaders to discuss possible peacekeeping arrangements. French President Emmanuel Macron revealed that 26 nations had expressed readiness to contribute troops if a ceasefire were reached. The goal, according to Macron, would be to stabilize the situation and prevent further escalation, not to fight on the front lines.
Putin, however, dismissed the idea, making it clear that Russia would view any NATO presence inside Ukraine as an act of aggression. Despite Trump’s repeated campaign promise that he could end the war “on day one” of his second term, a lasting ceasefire deal still appears distant.
While the UK and France are reportedly leading the coalition discussions, neither has disclosed exact details about troop commitments. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed European support, though the U.S. remains cautious, signaling it may scale back some of its European security programs after 2026.
At the same time, Trump reaffirmed strong military cooperation with Poland, a NATO ally bordering Ukraine, after meeting with Poland’s new right-wing President Karol Nawrocki. This suggests Washington intends to keep its strategic foothold in Eastern Europe even as broader NATO commitments are reassessed.
The White House emphasized that Trump pressed European leaders to reduce their reliance on Russian oil which generated over €1.1 billion in sales for Moscow in just one year and to increase economic pressure on China for indirectly supporting Russia’s war efforts. Macron later added that U.S. backing for the European coalition’s reassurance force would be confirmed “in the coming days.”
Putin, for his part, noted that he maintains “open dialogue” with Trump, with both leaders describing their conversations as constructive. Still, the Kremlin’s warning underscores the high risk of escalation if Western troops were ever deployed inside Ukraine.
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