Lead: On Sept. 5, 2025 in Vladivostok, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that any Western forces deployed to Ukraine during the ongoing conflict would be legitimate targets for Moscow, underscoring a sharp divide with Kyiv and its allies over postwar security arrangements.
Key Takeaways
- Putin said Western troops in Ukraine would be legitimate targets amid ongoing military operations.
- French President Emmanuel Macron has said 26 countries pledged postwar security guarantees, including an international force.
- Russia views NATO expansion toward Ukraine as a central cause of the conflict.
- France and Britain have signalled openness to deploying troops after the war; the U.S. says it would not put ground troops but might offer air support.
- Putin reiterated an offer to meet Zelenskiy in Moscow but said agreements on key issues were unlikely.
- Kyiv continues to press for robust Western guarantees and direct talks with Moscow.
Verified Facts
Speaking at an economic forum in Vladivostok on Sept. 5, 2025, President Putin said that if foreign troops appear in Ukraine during the current military operations, Russia would view them as legitimate targets for destruction. The remark was delivered a day after French President Emmanuel Macron said 26 countries had pledged to provide postwar security guarantees to Ukraine, including forces on land, at sea and in the air.
Russian officials have repeatedly cited the prospect of NATO expansion and the potential stationing of Western forces in Ukraine as a stated motive for Moscow’s military campaign. Putin reiterated that, in his view, long-term peace would make foreign troop presence unnecessary, but he framed any deployment during combat as a direct threat that Moscow would counter.
Western positions remain divided. France and the United Kingdom, which co-chair a coalition supporting Ukraine, have not ruled out future troop deployments after a settlement. U.S. President Donald Trump, who took office in January 2025, has said Washington will not send ground troops but could provide other forms of support, including air capabilities.
Context & Impact
The comments highlight the deep gap between Moscow and Kyiv and its Western partners over what security guarantees should look like after a negotiated end to the three-and-a-half-year war that began in 2022. Ukraine seeks strong, durable guarantees to deter future aggression; Russia demands reciprocal assurances for its own security.
If Western countries were to station forces in Ukraine, Moscow’s position raises the risk of direct military confrontation between Russia and NATO-member states or their partners. That risk complicates diplomatic efforts to outline enforceable post-conflict arrangements and could deter some countries from committing to on-the-ground guarantees.
Diplomatic momentum has included talks among allied capitals about a “coalition of the willing” and the scope of guarantees. Macron’s reference to 26 countries signals broad interest in supporting Ukraine, but the form, timing and legal basis for any deployment remain unsettled.
Official Statements
“If some troops appear there, especially now, during military operations, we proceed from the fact that these will be legitimate targets for destruction.”
Vladimir Putin, Russian President (Vladivostok, Sept. 5, 2025)
“We are ready for any kind of meetings. But we don’t feel that Putin is ready to end this war.”
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ukrainian President (statement)
Unconfirmed
- No public agreement has been reached on the exact composition, mandate or timeline for any international force referenced by allied leaders.
- Reports vary on which specific countries would commit ground troops after a settlement; official lists and timelines have not been published.
Bottom Line
Putin’s statement narrows diplomatic room by signalling Moscow would treat any Western military presence in Ukraine during combat as a direct threat. That stance raises the stakes in negotiations over security guarantees and may influence both which countries commit forces and how guarantees are structured.
Negotiations now face the twin challenges of aligning allied willingness to provide tangible protection for Kyiv while avoiding steps that Moscow says would cross its red lines; the gap will shape diplomatic efforts and risk calculations in the months ahead.