Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected Western proposals for a “reassurance force” in Ukraine, warning that any foreign troops deployed would be considered “legitimate targets.” The announcement follows a Paris summit where French President Emmanuel Macron said 26 of Ukraine’s allies had committed to providing security support if fighting stops, though no immediate deployment is planned.

Putin emphasized that while he is open to dialogue with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, he sees little chance of agreement on key issues. His spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, praised former US President Donald Trump’s efforts while criticizing European countries for allegedly prolonging the conflict.

Western leaders, including Macron and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, argue that troops would only serve to prevent new aggression and are not intended for frontline combat. Ukraine and its allies continue to push for a ceasefire before negotiating broader peace guarantees, but Moscow maintains it will not accept foreign forces on Ukrainian soil and insists on being a security guarantor itself—a demand Kyiv rejects.

The ongoing war, now in its 42nd month, shows little sign of resolution as Russia continues military operations across multiple fronts, while Western nations debate the scale and format of security guarantees for Ukraine.