Russia warned Wednesday that foreign troops deployed to Ukraine under any peacekeeping arrangement would be considered legitimate targets, a direct shot at European plans to station allied forces there following a ceasefire.
The Kremlin issued the threat as members of the pro-Ukraine “coalition of the willing” reasserted their intention to contribute ground forces once hostilities stop, deepening a standoff between Moscow and European capitals over the shape of any post-war settlement.
Russia also dismissed Lithuanian warnings about Russian infrastructure attacks, calling them groundless, according to statements reviewed by the Wail.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has been among those backing the coalition framework. No deployment date exists — the force is contingent on a ceasefire that has not materialised.
The exchange marks a sharp escalation in diplomatic temperature as coalition members push ahead with planning that Moscow has repeatedly said it will not tolerate on its western flank.
Coalition members are expected to hold further coordination talks in the coming days. Any peacekeeping deployment remains conditional on a cessation of hostilities, with no timeline confirmed.