Putin: Western Troops in Ukraine Are ‘Legitimate Targets,’ Repeats Moscow Talks Offer

According to Rokna Russian president Vladimir Putin appeared to be unfazed by the proposals, telling an economic forum in Vladivostok instead that any western troops in Ukraine would be considered “legitimate targets for destruction.”

“If some troops appear there, especially now during the fighting, we proceed from the premise that they will be legitimate targets,” Putin said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a stark warning that any Western troops deployed to Ukraine would be regarded as “legitimate targets,” while repeating his offer to host peace negotiations in Moscow.

Speaking at an economic forum in Vladivostok on Friday, Putin said Russia would treat the presence of foreign forces on Ukrainian soil as direct involvement in the conflict.

“If some troops appear there, especially now during the fighting, we proceed from the premise that they will be legitimate targets,” the Russian leader declared.

Moscow has consistently rejected the notion of Western troop deployments, arguing such a move would pose a grave threat to Russia’s national security. Putin stressed that if peace agreements were reached, the stationing of foreign forces in Ukraine would be entirely unnecessary.

“If decisions are reached that lead to peace, to long-term peace, then I simply do not see any sense in their presence on the territory of Ukraine, full stop,” he said.

In his remarks, the Russian president reiterated his earlier proposal to hold peace talks in Moscow, promising security guarantees for all participants. While Kyiv has dismissed the idea, Putin maintained that Russia would “definitely provide working conditions and security” for negotiations.

He also appeared to dismiss the possibility of talks being hosted in another country.

“If they tell us: ‘we want to meet with you, but you have to go somewhere else for this meeting’, it seems to me that these are simply excessive requests,” Putin added.

The comments come amid growing international debate over post-war security arrangements for Ukraine. Several Western nations have pledged long-term backing for Kyiv, fueling concerns in Moscow over potential foreign military involvement.

Moscow has long rejected any suggestion of foreign troops in Ukraine, stressing it would be unacceptable and pose a threat to its national security.

Putin further argued that “if decisions are reached that lead to peace, to long-term peace, then I simply do not see any sense in their presence on the territory of Ukraine, full stop,” as he insisted Russia would “comply” with any agreement reached “in full.”

The Russian president also repeated his – already rejected – offer to host future peace talks in Moscow, claiming he would “definitely provide working conditions and security.”

(It’s not impossible to see why Zelenskyy wouldn’t necessarily trust any of that given the history between the two countries.)

Putin also appeared to reject a suggestion of holding that meeting elsewhere.

“But if they tell us: ’we want to meet with you, but you have to go somewhere else for this meeting’, it seems to me that these are simply excessive requests on us,” he said.