If EU deploys troops to Ukraine after peace deal, 'war will resume,' Putin says

Detailed summary

The Russian leader reiterated that Moscow considered the presence of foreign troops in Ukraine unacceptable

MOSCOW, November 12. /TASS/. Moscow rejects any deployment of foreign troops to Ukraine following a peace agreement and emphasizes that fighting would have to resume in that case, with those forces becoming legitimate targets for the Russian army, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting in the Kremlin with US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

"The Europeans are aware of this. And what do we hear from them? That once a peace agreement is signed, they will immediately deploy troops to Ukrainian territory," Putin said, outlining the situation. "What does this mean? We have already talked about it: for us, they are a legitimate target, meaning the war will resume immediately."

"What is the US administration proposing to us?" the Russian President added. "President Trump suggests: let’s reach an agreement on mechanisms to ensure security in Europe as a whole. And what do we hear from the Europeans? They say: 'No--only after peace is achieved in Ukraine.' But once peace is reached there, they intend to deploy troops.

"And that means a continuation of the war. We've come full circle," Putin concluded.

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