Russia rejects Trump-backed security guarantees for Ukraine, calls foreign troops legitimate targets

Russia on Thursday rejected European security guarantees for Ukraine, which have been endorsed by US President Donald Trump, and warned that any foreign troops in Ukraine would be treated as legitimate military targets.

In a statement, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said this was not a new position but a reiteration of a longstanding position. She described Ukraine’s European partners as an “axis of war” and their commitments as “militaristic declarations".

The Russian rejection came two days after the United Kingdom and France pledged to deploy soldiers to Ukraine as part of a multinational peacekeeping force to enforce a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia following a negotiated end to the war.

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The deployment would take place under the framework of the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ led by the UK and France. The group led by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has more than 30 members that have pledged support in various forms.

The Trump administration has backed the British- and French-led peacekeeping force and the coalition’s security guarantees. It has also agreed to provide a backstop and lead a joint mechanism to monitor the ceasefire.

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However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively rejected the latest peace proposal floated by Trump — as he rejected all previous proposals. With rising attacks on non-military targets in Ukraine, including only the second strike in the war involving a nuclear-capable missile, Russia has escalated the conflict.

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‘Militaristic declarations from axis of war’: Russia rejects security guarantees

As with previous peace proposals, Russia maintained that its rejection of Western security guarantees for Ukraine was not a new position but a reiteration of a longstanding position.

Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Zakharova branded the Coalition of the Willing an “axis of evil” and its security guarantees “militaristic declarations”. She said the coalition’s “plans are becoming increasingly more dangerous and destructive for the future of the European continent and its residents”.

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Referring to any British and French deployment to Ukraine as part of the peacekeeping force, Zakharova said “the deployment of military units and the setting-up of military facilities, storages and other Western infrastructure on Ukrainian territory will be qualified as foreign intervention that directly threatens the security of Russia and other European countries”, according to Tass news agency.

Zakharova further said, “All such units and facilities will be considered legitimate military targets for the Russian Armed Forces. Warnings to this effect have been repeatedly made at the highest level and remain relevant.”

The only way to end the war, she said, would be to accept Russia’s terms regarding the “root causes” of the conflict.

The phrase “root causes” is a euphemism Russia has used for its maximalist demands since launching the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Acceptance of such demands would effectively mean the end of Ukrainian sovereignty and the cessation of its nationhood.