August M
Russia’s foreign minister has raised the temperature of already fraught global tensions, warning that any Western troops deployed to Ukraine as peacekeepers would be treated as targets by Moscow
Sergey Lavrov’s remarks, delivered at an ambassadors’ roundtable and reported by The Express, come as European leaders push ahead with diplomatic efforts to end the war.
His comments fed growing anxiety about the risk of wider conflict, with officials in London, Paris and Kyiv now describing the coming days as critical for negotiations.
Threat to “peacekeepers”
According to The Express, Lavrov accused Western governments of escalating the conflict by discussing troop deployments under a so-called ‘Coalition of the Willing’ and increasing defence spending
He claimed European leaders were engaging in “fantasies” about sending forces into Ukraine, saying such personnel “would immediately become legitimate targets for the Russian armed forces.”
“The Europeans must understand that,” he warned, framing any future peacekeeping presence as an act of direct confrontation.
Diplomatic push
The warning coincided with an announcement from UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who will co-chair a Coalition of the Willing call alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron and German and Friedrich Merz.
Downing Street described the process as a ‘critical moment’ for advancing a peace plan. A spokesperson said intensive negotiations are underway and will continue ‘in the coming days,’ notes The Express
Cautious optimism from Kyiv
Zelensky signalled guarded hope that talks could soon yield progress, following discussions between his delegation and US officials.
“This week may bring news for all of us – and for bringing the bloodshed to an end,’ he said, underscoring the high stakes surrounding the diplomatic track, reports The Express.
Sources: The Express
