• Putin states any foreign troops in Ukraine will be viewed as "legitimate targets."
• 26 nations have pledged to provide security guarantees that may include troop deployments.
• Discussions about troop involvement arise as peace talks progress amid ongoing military operations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that any foreign troops deployed to Ukraine, particularly during ongoing military operations, would be considered "legitimate targets" by Moscow's forces. His comments followed a summit in Paris, where leaders from 26 nations, including France and Britain, expressed commitment to creating a "reassurance" force as part of postwar security guarantees for Ukraine, aimed at preventing further Russian aggression, according to lemonde and DW.

At the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin emphasized that foreign troops would only complicate efforts to achieve long-term peace, stating, "If decisions are reached that lead to peace, I simply do not see any sense in their presence on the territory of Ukraine," according to trtglobal and ABC News.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy remarked that thousands of foreign troops could be involved in providing security guarantees, reflecting Kyiv's dependence on Western support amid ongoing conflict. French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated this commitment from the "coalition of the willing," indicating plans for an international force encompassing land, sea, and air deployments, according to Reuters and Reuters.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov remarked that the presence of foreign military in Ukraine near Russian borders is a significant threat, suggesting that adequate security guarantees are needed for both Russia and Ukraine to proceed with peace talks. Putin has maintained that Russia would fulfill any agreements reached if a realistic peace is negotiated, according to SCMP and Los Angeles Times.

The ongoing discussions showcase a significant divide between Moscow's hardline stance against foreign troops and Kyiv's strategic dependencies on Western military backing. The situation is exacerbated by Russia's continuous military actions in Ukraine, which have intensified after several rounds of failed peace talks, as reported by India Times and Reuters.