Macron Leads Western Support for Ukraine, Putin Warns of Retaliation
Light House Denver – Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected Western plans to deploy troops to Ukraine, warning they’d be “legitimate targets.” His remarks came following a summit in Paris, where global leaders discussed post-war security guarantees for Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that 26 of Ukraine’s allies have committed to sending land, sea, or air forces once fighting comes to a halt. He emphasized that these troops would not be stationed on the front lines and would not be intended to initiate any conflict with Russia.
“These forces are only to deter future aggression,” Macron stated.
Although the participating countries have not yet been named, French officials said that further details would be announced in the coming days.
Putin responded strongly to the initiative, warning that Western troops in Ukraine would be viewed as military targets, even though no immediate deployment plans have been confirmed.
“I see no need for foreign troops to be present if our goal is lasting peace,” he said during an economic forum in Vladivostok.
He also expressed a willingness to talk with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky but was doubtful about reaching any meaningful outcome.
“It’s difficult to reach an agreement with the Ukrainian side on key issues,” Putin added.
U.S. President Donald Trump did not comment directly after the Paris summit. However, he previously indicated that U.S. support would likely come through air defense.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized the West’s “unshakable commitment” to support Ukraine, including through diplomatic pressure on Russia.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz underlined that the top priority is to halt hostilities before discussing long-term security arrangements.
Moscow has insisted that Russia should be among the countries guaranteeing Ukraine’s security in a post-war settlement. However, this proposal has been swiftly rejected by Kyiv and Western nations.
“Russia cannot have a veto over who protects Ukraine. Ukraine is a sovereign country,” said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Putin previously proposed holding a summit with Zelensky in Moscow, offering security guarantees. However, Kyiv dismissed the idea as a political ploy.
“We are open to all formats of dialogue, but Russia keeps delaying,” Zelensky said.
Putin pointed out that a major obstacle to negotiations lies in Ukraine’s constitutional requirement for a referendum to alter its territory, as well as the lifting of martial law.
Now more than 42 months into the full-scale war, Russia claims continued progress on multiple fronts. However, Western leaders believe Moscow is stalling talks to seize more territory before entering negotiations.
Putin recently met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, signaling the growing strength of the Eastern bloc.
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