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Moscow rejects Western security guarantees for Ukraine Putin rejects Western security in Ukraine, warning troops would be target
(about 4 hours later)
The Kremlin has rejected any situation where foreign troops would be stationed in Ukraine to provide security guarantees, according to Russian state media. Putin said any international forces would be "legitimate targets" in Ukraine
It follows a pledge by Emmanuel Macron that 26 Western allies had formally committed to deploying troops "by land, sea or air" to Ukraine the day after a ceasefire is agreed. Russia's Vladimir Putin has rejected Western proposals for a "reassurance force" in Ukraine the day after any ceasefire comes into place, following a Paris summit aimed at finalising plans for security guarantees.
After a summit of 35 countries dubbed the "Coalition of the Willing", the French president said US support would be finalised in the coming days. French President Emmanuel Macron said 26 of Ukraine's allies had formally committed to deploying troops "by land, sea or air" to help provide security the moment fighting is brought to a halt.
President Donald Trump recently indicated that US backing could "probably" come in the form of air support, and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky said he had spoken to the US leader about "maximum protection for Ukraine's skies". He did not detail any of the countries involved.
However, hopes of a deal to end the fighting have dimmed since Russia's Vladimir Putin met Trump in Alaska last month. Putin sought to quash the allies' initiative, with a warning that any troops deployed to Ukraine would be "legitimate targets", especially if they appeared now, even though there are no plans for an immediate deployment.
Trump also said the EU should work with the US to halt imports of Russian oil and gas, to halt Russia's "war machine by economic means", according to an account of the phone-call from Finnish President Alexander Stubb. There seems little hope of a ceasefire for the moment, after last month's summit in Alaska between Putin and US President Donald Trump briefly raised hopes of a meeting with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky and a potential peace deal.
The 27-member European Union has set a target of ending all gas and oil imports by the end of 2027. A White House official pointed out that Russia had received €1.1bn (£954m; $1.3bn) in fuel sales from the EU in one year, although the true figure is far higher. However, since the Alaska meeting, the "Coalition of the Willing" - led by the UK and France - has been working intensively on providing Kyiv with guarantees if a deal is reached.
Macron stressed any troops would be deployed to prevent "any new major aggression" and not at the front line.
Zelensky described the decisions taken at Thursday's Paris meeting as the first concrete step.
The US has not made the scale of its involvement clear. The French president said that would be finalised in the coming days.
Trump recently indicated that US backing could "probably" come in the form of air support, and Zelensky said he had spoken to the US leader about "maximum protection for Ukraine's skies".
Trump said he was "having a very good dialogue" with Putin and planned to speak to him in the near future. Putin confirmed on Friday that he had "an open dialogue" with the American president.
Russia has said its military is pressing forward in Ukraine on all fronts
Ukraine and its allies believe a ceasefire should be agreed in Ukraine before any attempt at securing a broader peace deal, although Russia disagrees.
Answering questions at an economic forum in Vladivostok in Russia's far east, Putin argued that "if decisions are reached that will lead... to long-term peace, then I simply don't see the point in (foreign troops') presence [in Ukraine]". He added that Russia would comply with any decisions leading to long-term peace "in full".
Ukraine and its Western allies are unlikely to find his words convincing.
Putin also maintained he was ready to host a summit with Ukraine in Moscow, and offered to provide security.
Zelensky has already ridiculed Moscow's idea as proof that Putin is not serious. Several neutral capital cities have been suggested instead.
"We support any format, bilateral meeting, trilateral meeting, I believe that Russia does everything to defer it," Zelensky said.
Western leaders also believe that Russia is playing for time in a bid to seize more Ukrainian territory, as its 40-month full-scale war grinds on.
Putin, who spent Wednesday with China's Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, maintains that his country's military is pushing forward on all fronts in Ukraine.
Ukraine's president joined France's Emmanuel Macron for the summit at the Élysée PalaceUkraine's president joined France's Emmanuel Macron for the summit at the Élysée Palace
Moscow has made clear that no Western forces should be deployed to Ukraine and has insisted that it should be one of the countries acting as "guarantors" - an idea rejected by Kyiv and its allies. As well as making clear that no Western forces should be deployed to Ukraine, Moscow has insisted that it should be one of the countries acting as "guarantors" of Ukrainian security - an idea rejected by Kyiv and its allies.
In remarks published by Russian state media, the Kremlin's spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said: "Can Ukraine's security guarantees be ensured and provided by foreign, especially European and American, military contingents? Definitely not, they cannot." Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told the BBC's Steve Rosenberg that any foreign forces, whether belonging to Nato or otherwise, would be a danger to Russia "because we are an enemy of Nato".
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Western allies now had an "unbreakable pledge" to Ukraine, backed by the US, and had to press Russia to end the war, according to a Downing Street spokeswoman. Peskov went on to criticise "the outrageous efforts of European countries to provoke continuation of the war".
Few countries have openly promised to deploy troops on the ground in Ukraine in the event of a deal, and the US has already ruled out such a move. European diplomats have suggested that committing troops at this point would probably help Putin's narrative against the West.Few countries have openly promised to deploy troops on the ground in Ukraine in the event of a deal, and the US has already ruled out such a move. European diplomats have suggested that committing troops at this point would probably help Putin's narrative against the West.
Meanwhile, Russia was continuing to send troops into Ukraine despite the latest attempts to set ceasefire talks, Macron complained. However, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Western allies now had an "unbreakable pledge" to Ukraine, backed by the US, and had to press Russia to end the war, according to a Downing Street spokeswoman.
In the latest violence, two people clearing mines were killed in a Russian attack in northern Ukraine on Thursday. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said following the meeting that the first priority was to secure a ceasefire at a summit involving Zelensky, and then provide "strong security guarantees".
Ukraine and its allies believe a ceasefire should be agreed before any attempt at securing a broader peace deal, although Russia disagrees. Nato chief Mark Rutte said on Thursday that Russia had no veto on Western troops being deployed to Ukraine: "Why are we interested in what Russia thinks about troops in Ukraine? It's a sovereign country. It's not for them to decide."
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said following the meeting that the first priority was to secure a ceasefire at a summit involving Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, and then provide "strong security guarantees".
Zelensky's top officials held talks in Paris with US special envoy Steve Witkoff on Thursday.
4,000 miles from Ukraine this Asian city is part of Russia's war4,000 miles from Ukraine this Asian city is part of Russia's war
Putin: Russia will achieve aims military with no dealPutin: Russia will achieve aims military with no deal
More than three-and-a-half years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Putin said this week there was "a certain light at the end of the tunnel" and that "there are options for ensuring Ukraine's security in the event the conflict ends".More than three-and-a-half years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Putin said this week there was "a certain light at the end of the tunnel" and that "there are options for ensuring Ukraine's security in the event the conflict ends".
The prospect of a direct meeting involving Putin and Zelensky has become increasingly unlikely since it was suggested last month by President Trump.
Putin suggested this week Zelensky could come to Moscow for talks, an idea branded "unacceptable" by Kyiv. The Ukrainian leader said it was indication Russia did not really want the meeting to take place.
Nato chief Mark Rutte said on Thursday that Russia had no veto on Western troops being deployed to Ukraine: "Why are we interested in what Russia thinks about troops in Ukraine? It's a sovereign country. It's not for them to decide."
Trump told CBS News on Wednesday that he remained committed to reaching a deal to end the war and said he continued to have a good relationship with both Putin and Zelensky.
"I think we're going to get it all straightened out," he said.
Watch: 'My job is to make sure Ukraine stays in the fight', says John Healey
UK Defence Secretary John Healey has praised Trump, who he says "brought Putin into talks" and "not closed off any options".UK Defence Secretary John Healey has praised Trump, who he says "brought Putin into talks" and "not closed off any options".
The Russian leader, who spent Wednesday with China's Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, claims that his country's military is pushing forward on all fronts in Ukraine. Watch: 'My job is to make sure Ukraine stays in the fight', says John Healey
He warned that without a deal Moscow was prepared to "resolve all our tasks militarily".
Russia has rejected the idea of an initial ceasefire, insisting its campaign will not end before a full peace deal.Russia has rejected the idea of an initial ceasefire, insisting its campaign will not end before a full peace deal.
A source at the Élysée Palace suggested ahead of Thursday's talks that there were several historical examples of ceasefires that had lasted without a full peace agreement.A source at the Élysée Palace suggested ahead of Thursday's talks that there were several historical examples of ceasefires that had lasted without a full peace agreement.
The source pointed to the demarcation line between North and South Korea, where a ceasefire had lasted for years with a powerfully armed, allied American deployment serving as a signal to North Korea. That concept was extremely important for the Ukrainians, the source added. The source pointed to the demarcation line between North and South Korea, where a ceasefire had lasted for years with a powerfully armed, allied American deployment serving as a signal to North Korea.
That concept was extremely important for the Ukrainians, the source added.