Vladimir Putin has effectively told Europe that its plan to provide security guarantees to Ukraine is tantamount to a declaration of war. By threatening to attack any Western troops deployed there and labeling them “legitimate targets,” he has framed the initiative as a hostile act.
The initiative, spearheaded by French President Emmanuel Macron, has brought together 26 countries willing to commit to Ukraine’s postwar security, including with a military presence. For Kyiv, this is a cornerstone of its future safety. For Putin, it is a red line that cannot be crossed.
The Russian president’s aggressive stance is designed to fracture the Western coalition. He is aware that the appetite for a direct military confrontation with Russia is extremely low in many European countries, a fact demonstrated by Germany’s and Italy’s refusal to commit troops.
This military posturing comes as the peace process lies in ruins. Diplomatic efforts have been fruitless, and the rhetoric from both Moscow and Kyiv is uncompromising. Putin’s assertion that a deal is “impossible” and Zelenskyy’s skepticism of Russian motives have created a dangerous and unstable stalemate.