Putin warns foreign troops in Ukraine would be legitimate targets

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stern warning that any foreign troops entering Ukraine would immediately become legitimate targets for the Russian military.

Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum 2025, he emphasised that the presence of foreign forces on Ukrainian soil would be unnecessary if decisions were made that could lead to long-term peace in the region, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media. 

Putin also underscored the importance of providing Ukraine with security guarantees, saying that Russia would adhere to such assurances once they were developed and offered. However, he noted that no serious discussions on these guarantees had taken place so far.

Addressing the possibility of a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Putin dismissed proposals that would require him to travel to Kyiv or other venues as excessive demands.

He suggested that Moscow, the Russian capital, would be the most appropriate and convenient location for such a meeting, describing it as the "hero city" and expressing Russia's readiness to host future talks there.

By Sabina Mammadli