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Putin declares Western troops in Ukraine “legitimate targets,” after Russian missile kills unarmed Danish mission

Par :Olena Mukhina

If Western forces appear on Ukrainian territory, they would become legitimate targets for Russia, declared Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, according to UNIAN.

His statement came the day after a Russian ballistic missile deliberately struck an unarmed Danish demining mission, killing two people and wounding eight.

Putin threatens the West

“If any troops appear in Ukraine, especially now during ongoing hostilities, we proceed from the assumption that they will be legitimate targets for strikes,” said the Russian president.

This means the potential mission should be significantly protected from Russian strikes. 

Coalition of the willing and European guarantees

On 4 September, a meeting of the “coalition of the willing” took place in Paris. It was agreed that out of 21 countries willing to work on security guarantees for Ukraine, ten would agree to send their soldiers to Ukrainian territory after the fighting ends.

Countries prepared to take this step include the United Kingdom, France, the Nordic countries, the Baltic states, the Netherlands, and Australia. Preliminary estimates suggest that the European mission in Ukraine could number 25–30 thousand troops. These security guarantees are meant to take effect once peace is established in Ukraine, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports. 

However, there is no clear evidence that Russia is ready to end the war. On the contrary, the escalation of attacks on civilians, preparations for new offensives in the Kharkiv region, and deepening ties with China indicate that Russia intends to continue its aggression.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump, the leader of the US, traditionally considered the major protector of the Western world, has stated that he does not plan to send troops to Ukraine, has not imposed the promised sanctions on Moscow, and is not providing Ukraine with new aid packages. As a result, the situation in Ukraine is at a deadlock.

A deadlock for Ukraine

According to Putin, security guarantees should apply not only to Ukraine but also to Russia.

At the same time, the dictator claimed that Russia “will fully comply with peace agreements regarding Ukraine once they are reached.”

As is known, Russia has repeatedly violated agreements with Ukraine, from the Budapest Memorandum to the Minsk agreements, which were intended to stop the war in Donetsk and Luhansk. Instead, these agreements paved the way for a full-scale war, resulting in hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths.

According to Putin, no one has yet discussed such agreements with Russia “at a serious level.”

Putin also stated that he is allegedly willing to engage with Ukraine, but sees “little point” in such talks, claiming it is impossible to reach an agreement.

Earlier, he suggested meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Moscow, despite seven countries offering their cities for such a meeting and the risks it would pose for Zelenskyy.

Zelensky urges the West to implement guarantees without waiting for peace

Amid discussions over security guarantees, the question arises: What is preventing the West from implementing security guarantees now?

According to Rai, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that security guarantees for Ukraine must take effect immediately without waiting for a cessation of hostilities.

“It is important that the security guarantees promised by the countries forming the ‘coalition of the determined’ begin to operate immediately, without waiting for the end of the fighting,” the Ukrainian president said.

Zelenskyy added that this refers not only to military support for Ukraine but also to economic guarantees. According to him, 26 countries have expressed readiness to support Ukraine’s security, and this is “an important step forward.”

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