Putin Warns: Western Troops in Ukraine Would Be “Legitimate Targets”

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a stark warning, declaring that any Western troops deployed to Ukraine would be considered “legitimate targets” for Russian attacks. Speaking at an economic forum in Vladivostok, Putin responded to French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement that 26 nations had pledged postwar security guarantees for Kyiv, including the potential deployment of international forces. Moscow maintains that NATO’s presence in Ukraine is one of the reasons behind its ongoing war. Putin added that if peace agreements are reached, foreign troops in Ukraine would serve “no purpose.”