Putin Draws a Battle Line: Western Troops in Ukraine Will Be Fired Upon

Vladimir Putin has drawn a clear battle line, warning the West that its troops will be fired upon if they are deployed to Ukraine. His statement that any such forces would be “legitimate targets” is a direct and aggressive response to a European proposal for Kyiv’s postwar security.
The proposal, which French President Emmanuel Macron has been championing, involves a 26-nation coalition providing Ukraine with security guarantees, including a military force. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has welcomed this as a crucial step. Putin’s threat, however, is a clear signal that Russia would meet such a deployment with military action.
The Kremlin’s strategy is to intimidate Western nations and exploit their divisions. The fear of a wider war has already led key countries like Germany to reject the idea of sending soldiers, thereby weakening the entire initiative before it can be fully formed.
This dangerous standoff is occurring in a diplomatic vacuum. There is no progress toward a ceasefire, and the leaders of Russia and Ukraine are not engaged in meaningful dialogue. Putin’s claim that a peace deal is out of reach underscores the grim reality that the conflict is far from over.