Ukraine’s dream of securing its future with the help of a Western military presence has collided with a stark reality articulated by Vladimir Putin: any foreign troops on its soil will be targeted. The Russian president’s declaration that such forces would be “legitimate targets for destruction” serves as a grim warning to the 26 nations backing a French-led security plan.
The plan, spearheaded by President Emmanuel Macron, is designed to provide Kyiv with concrete security guarantees once the war is over. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed his hope for a large-scale mission, involving “thousands” of personnel to act as a bulwark against future aggression. Putin’s statement, however, reframes this potential protective force as an invading army.
This threat is intended to deter Western nations by highlighting the extreme risks involved. It plays on the fears already present in capitals like Berlin, Rome, and Madrid, which have all rejected the idea of deploying their own troops. This internal disagreement has already forced the plan’s ambitions to be curtailed.
The entire discussion is predicated on a peace that is not on the horizon. Diplomatic channels are frozen, and the rhetoric from both sides is uncompromising. Putin has labeled a negotiated settlement “practically impossible,” undermining any talk of postwar arrangements. Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has made it clear he sees no genuine readiness for peace from the Russian side.
