“After NATO troops are deployed to Ukraine, they will become a legitimate target for Russia,” – said Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that the Russian army could strike NATO forces if they appear on Ukrainian territory.

He made this statement at the Eastern Economic Forum.

“If any troops appear there — especially now, in the course of active hostilities — we will proceed from the assumption that they are legitimate targets for attack. But if agreements are reached that lead to a long-term peace, then I simply see no sense in their presence on Ukrainian territory, that’s all. Because if such agreements are achieved, no one should doubt that Russia will fully implement them. We will respect the security guarantees, which, of course, must be worked out both for Russia and for Ukraine,” Putin said.

He added that “security guarantees must be both for Russia and for Ukraine, and Russia will respect them,” and that Moscow will “fully comply with peace agreements on Ukraine once they are reached.”

Putin also said that he had not yet spoken with U.S. President Donald Trump after the meeting of the “coalition of the willing” in Europe.

He further noted that he “does not see much sense in direct contacts” with Volodymyr Zelensky, but remains open to them. In his view, “it is impossible to reach agreement with Zelensky on key issues right now.”

As the best place for a potential meeting with a Ukrainian representative, he named Moscow, assuring that Russia would provide “a 100% security guarantee for Zelensky in Moscow.”

“Not long ago, Kyiv categorically ruled out the possibility of direct contacts with Moscow, and now it is asking for them,” Putin noted.

Earlier at the same forum, Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is opposed to the deployment of Western military contingents on Ukrainian territory, considering such a form of security guarantee unacceptable.

As for a possible presidential meeting in Moscow, Zelensky has refused to go there. Journalists suggest he would only travel if ordered to by the U.S. president.