The Kremlin has issued a stark warning of a full-scale war with NATO if the UK and France send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine.
Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron’s proposal for a ‘coalition of the willing’, which could involve sending minehunters and up to 10,000 troops from the EU and NATO, has been rejected by Vladimir Putin. His deputy on the Russian security council has warned that such a move would be unacceptable.
Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian president and prime minister, took to social media to criticise the plans. He accused Macron and Starmer of playing “dumb” in the face of clear Russian objections.
“Time and again they are told that peacekeepers must come from non-NATO states,” Medvedev posted on X. “No, we will send tens of thousands, just lay it out, you want to give military aid to the neo-Nazis in Kyiv.”
Medvedev implied that Donald Trump understood Putin’s stance on NATO involvement in Ukraine, and suggested that Trump’s intervention might play a role in the crisis resolution. “That means war with NATO. Consult with Trump, scumbags,” he added.
As the fighting continues in Ukraine, Ukraine’s air defence forces claimed to have shot down 90 of 174 drones launched by Russia during a recent overnight attack.
Trump’s Efforts to Mediate
Donald Trump has confirmed that he will speak to Putin soon, claiming significant progress has been made in peace talks. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One: “I’ll talk to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of work has been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can end this war. Maybe we can, maybe we can’t, but I think we have a very good chance.”
Trump said the talks would cover “dividing up certain assets,” such as land and power plants, which could form part of the process of bringing the war to a close. The talks, however, are set against the backdrop of Putin resisting a US-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire.
Russian Threats Over NATO Presence in Ukraine
The Russian deputy foreign minister, Alexander Grushko, has strongly warned against any NATO or European military presence in Ukraine. He argued that any such force must be “unarmed” and that Ukraine must maintain its neutral status to avoid being used as a tool to exert military pressure on Russia.
“Under no circumstances should NATO troops be deployed, whether in European Union, NATO, or national capacities,” Grushko said. “If they appear, it means they are taking part in the conflict, with all the consequences for these contingents.”
Grushko also reiterated Russia’s view that Ukraine’s neutral status is non-negotiable, and it must never become a member of NATO.
Russian Media Warnings
Vladimir Kornilov, a commentator for Russian state media, warned that British troops would be legitimate targets if they were deployed in Ukraine. He said: “What’s the big deal, Sir Starmer? Admit it to your public: the British military will stay in Ukraine forever if they go in. Because they would be a legitimate target for Russia.”
Continued Fighting and Attacks
Fighting continues to rage in the eastern and southern regions of Ukraine. Ukrainian forces claim to have intercepted 90 of the 174 drones launched by Russia in a single overnight attack. Despite this, Russian air and missile strikes continue to target Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure.
In particular, Odesa has been repeatedly attacked by Russian drones and missiles. The region is vital to Ukraine’s maritime exports, and a recent attack caused civilian casualties, damaging a kindergarten, a residential house, and a passenger car. Around 500 people in Odesa’s suburbs were left without electricity after drones hit key energy infrastructure.
Russian forces have also faced counter-attacks from Ukraine, with drones hitting the industrial town of Zheleznogorsk in the Kursk region, near the border with Ukraine. Ukrainian forces also targeted a Russian military airfield in Yeysk, a resort town on the Sea of Azov, where multiple explosions were heard.
Uncertainty Surrounding Peacekeeping Plans
The discussions surrounding a potential peacekeeping force to be deployed in Ukraine remain clouded in uncertainty. Military chiefs from the UK and France’s coalition will meet in London on Thursday to discuss the deployment of peacekeepers. However, there is little clarity on which countries have committed troops to the mission, and some have argued that the talks are premature given the lack of a ceasefire.
Putin is expected to reject any agreement that involves NATO or European troops being stationed in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky views such a force as vital to deter future Russian aggression, but the Kremlin’s objections suggest that a resolution may not be forthcoming soon.
Putin’s Conditions for Ceasefire
Russia has laid out stringent conditions for any ceasefire agreement, demanding that Ukraine give up its NATO ambitions and cede territory to Russia. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said that these demands show that Moscow is not genuinely seeking peace.
“The conditions they have presented, this shows that they don’t really want peace, actually, because they are presenting all their ultimate goals from the war as conditions,” Kallas stated.
With the war continuing to escalate, all eyes remain on the upcoming talks and whether any diplomatic progress can be made, or whether the world is heading towards an even greater conflict involving NATO.
