 "In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, rescuers work at a damaged building after a Russian missile attack in Kyiv region, Ukraine, Wednesday, May 8, 2024.- AP")
Russia on Tuesday warned that the deployment of NATO troops into Ukraine would pose significant dangers, emphasising that Moscow was monitoring a Ukrainian petition advocating for such intervention very closely.
The petition, posted on the Ukrainian president’s website calls for assistance from the United States, Britain, and other nations to help fend off Russia’s invasion.
Addressing the media during his daily briefing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia has repeatedly said that direct intervention on the ground in this conflict by the military of NATO countries potentially carries enormous danger, so we consider this an extremely challenging provocation, nothing less, and, of course, we are watching this very carefully.
He said it was unclear if the petition would gather the required number of votes - 25,000 - to require President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to respond by either approving or rejecting it. As of Wednesday morning, it had attracted 1,594 votes.
French President Emmanuel Macron recently suggested that the possibility of Western troop deployment in Ukraine would be “legitimate” should Russia breach Ukrainian defenses and Kyiv request assistance.
The Russian Foreign Ministry responded to Macron’s comments, warning that any French soldiers sent to Ukraine would be viewed as legitimate targets. According to the Ministry, an increasing number of French citizens have been among the battlefield casualties on the Ukrainian side.
While NATO has supported Ukraine by providing advanced weaponry, including tanks and long-range missiles, direct troop intervention has not occurred. Both US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have cautioned against such intervention, citing the risk of triggering a catastrophic global conflict.