Putin Warns Foreign Troops in Ukraine Would Be ‘Legitimate Targets’ Amid Europe’s Security Guarantee Plans

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stark warning on Friday, September 5, 2025, declaring that any foreign military contingents deployed to Ukraine would be considered “legitimate targets” by Moscow. The assertive statement, delivered at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, directly responds to recent discussions among European leaders about potential post-war security guarantees for Kyiv.

Putin’s remarks followed a meeting in Paris on Thursday, September 4, where French President Emmanuel Macron announced that 26 nations had finalized a plan for security assurances. These guarantees, aimed at reassuring Ukrainians and maintaining a ceasefire, could involve contributions “on land, in the sea or in the air,” with the plan now set to be presented to the U.S. for formalization.

“If any troops appear there, especially now, during the course of hostilities, we assume that they will be legitimate targets for their destruction,” Putin stated. He added that he saw no purpose for foreign military presence if a lasting peace deal were achieved. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated Moscow’s stance, calling the prospect of foreign troops near the Russian border “dangerous” and asserting Russia’s commitment to ensuring its own security.

On the Ukrainian side, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Friday that while a plan for security guarantees exists, it is “not yet fully finalized.” He indicated that any troop commitments would involve “thousands” but emphasized that it was “still too early to talk about this” in detail. These developments highlight the escalating diplomatic and military tensions surrounding Ukraine’s future security architecture.

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