Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared that any foreign troops deployed to Ukraine before a peace agreement is reached would be considered “legitimate targets” by Moscow’s forces, escalating tensions as European leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a potential postwar peacekeeping force.

Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin emphasized that foreign troops entering Ukraine during ongoing hostilities would face military consequences. “If any troops appear there, especially now while fighting is ongoing, we assume that they will be legitimate targets,” he said.

His remarks came hours after French President Emmanuel Macron announced that 26 of 35 countries in the “Coalition of the Willing” had pledged to deploy a “reassurance force” to Ukraine post-ceasefire to ensure security.

Putin dismissed the need for such forces even after a peace deal, asserting that Moscow would honor any treaty to end its 3½-year invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022.

European leaders, led by Macron, clarified that the proposed force would not engage in combat but would monitor and maintain peace after a ceasefire.

The coalition, comprising 35 nations supporting Ukraine, aims to provide security guarantees on land, sea, and air. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking at the Ambrosetti Forum, stressed the urgency of implementing these guarantees during the war, though he withheld specifics, citing military sensitivity.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reinforced Putin’s stance, stating that any agreements must be backed by “legally binding documents” rather than verbal assurances. Moscow has consistently opposed NATO’s presence in Ukraine, viewing it as a threat to Russian security, while expressing no objection to Ukraine’s potential EU membership.

Putin reiterated that Ukraine’s NATO aspirations must consider Russia’s security interests, a point Moscow has raised since its annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The ongoing conflict saw intensified drone and missile attacks overnight. Ukraine’s air force reported intercepting 121 of 157 Russian drones and missiles, with strikes damaging residential buildings in Dnipro and infrastructure in Chernihiv, leaving 15 settlements without power.

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed to have downed 92 Ukrainian drones, with unconfirmed reports of an attack on a Rosneft oil refinery in Ryazan.

As diplomatic efforts continue, with a planned Putin-Trump summit and a virtual meeting hosted by Germany involving Trump, Zelenskyy, and EU leaders, the path to peace remains fraught.