Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Friday that Western military personnel deployed to Ukraine would become "legitimate targets for defeat," raising fresh threats against the idea of international peacekeepers once a cease-fire is reached. (Contributor/Getty Images)
Putin countered that if Moscow and Kyiv are able to finalize a political settlement, foreign soldiers would only complicate matters. "If decisions are reached that lead to long-term peace, then I simply see no reason for their presence on Ukrainian territory," he said. "Because if such agreements are reached, let no one doubt that Russia will fully implement them."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov echoed the Russian leader’s long-standing grievances with NATO, casting Western guarantees for Ukraine as equivalent to pushing the alliance eastward.
"What was one of the root causes of this conflict? It was when the foundations of security guarantees for our country began to be eroded, when Ukraine was being drawn into NATO, and when NATO’s military infrastructure began moving toward our borders," Peskov said, according to Russian state media. He added that any settlement would require guarantees "to both us and the Ukrainians."
Ukrainian servicemen of the 44th artillery brigade fire a 2s22 Bohdana self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions at the frontline in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, as peace talks drag on. (Danylo Antoniuk/AP Photo)
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Zelenskyy publicly dismissed the offer, arguing that Moscow was once again trying to delay serious negotiations. "Our American partners told me that Putin had invited me to Moscow. In my opinion, if someone wants the meeting to not take place, they should invite me to Moscow," Zelenskyy said Thursday.
Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, insisted Kyiv is ready for direct talks but only on neutral ground. "Right now, at least seven countries are ready to host a meeting between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia to bring an end to the war — Austria, the Holy See, Switzerland, Türkiye, and three Gulf states," he wrote on social media.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/putin-warns-western-troops-ukraine-would-legitimate-targets