Russia took a swipe at Emmanuel Macron after the French president said Kyiv does not require Moscow’s approval to request peacekeeping troops on Ukrainian soil.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko spoke with newspaper Izvestia, as NATO allies consider sending troops to Ukraine as part of a ceasefire deal being negotiated between Washington and Moscow.
Newsweek has contacted Russia’s Foreign Ministry for comment by email.
Why It Matters
Moscow is making clear that it will not accept the deployment of a Western peacekeeping force in Ukraine. Kyiv’s NATO allies have said doing so would safeguard Europe’s collective security and deter potential future Russian aggression. Although the Kremlin has previously rejected this idea on several occasions, Grushko’s comments represent its strongest rejection yet.
What To Know
“Ukraine is sovereign—if it requests allied forces to be on its territory, it is not up to Russia to accept or reject it,” Macron told French newspaper Le Parisien on March 15.
A senior British government source also told The Times newspaper of London that the West intends to deploy more than 10,000 troops in Ukraine to monitor a possible ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv.
Grushko said deploying such troops in Ukraine would be “absolutely inappropriate and absurd.” However, he added that Russia would be open to “the presence of unarmed observers and a civilian mission in Ukraine to monitor the implementation of certain aspects of the agreement or guarantee mechanisms.”
“We absolutely do not care under what label NATO contingents can be deployed on the territory of Ukraine: be it the European Union, NATO, or in their national capacity. In any case, if they appear there, it means that they are deployed in a conflict zone with all the consequences for these contingents as parties to the conflict,” said Grushko.
Taking a dig at Macron, the deputy foreign minister accused the French president of offering up his soldiers to distract from domestic issues.
“The country is going through a serious crisis; it is being shaken by demonstrations; Emmanuel Macron and the political forces that support him are not in a very strong position,” said Grushko. “Therefore, the introduction of such a loud topic as sending a military contingent is intended, among other things, to distract public attention from domestic problems.”
Russia will demand “ironclad” guarantees in any potential peace deal, ensuring that Ukraine will remain neutral and give up its aspirations to join NATO, the diplomat added.
U.S. officials are engaging in talks with Moscow aimed at bringing an end to the war, which is now in its fourth year.
Ukraine has agreed to support a Washington-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in the war.
President Donald Trump has threatened to hit Russia with “large-scale sanctions” and tariffs if his Russian counterpart doesn’t agree to a ceasefire and peace deal.
What People Are Saying
Vladimir Putin’s aide, Yuri Ushakov, told state-owned media on March 16: “We see this as an effort to provide Ukrainian forces with a pause during a difficult period. The Russian army is advancing on all fronts, and, under these circumstances, the ceasefire could be viewed as a way to allow Ukraine to strengthen its position.”
What Happens Next
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has confirmed that Trump will be speaking with Putin by phone on Tuesday. Trump told reporters Sunday evening that they would talk “to see if we can bring that war to an end.”
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