Russian President Vladimir Putin today said that any Western troops deployed to Ukraine will be legitimate targets for Moscow to attack.
Mr. Putin was speaking at an economic forum in Vladivostok a day after French President Emmanuel Macron said 26 countries had pledged to provide postwar security guarantees to Ukraine, including an international force on land, sea and in the air.
Russia has long argued that one of its reasons for going to war in Ukraine was to prevent NATO from admitting Kyiv as a member and placing its forces in Ukraine.
Ukraine seeks robust backing from the West to protect it against any future attack. France and Britain have signalled they are open to deploying troops to Ukraine after the war ends. U.S. President Donald Trump has said that Washington will not put troops on the ground but may provide other support, such as air power.
Mr. Putin said, security guarantees must be set in place for both Russia and Ukraine.