Ukraine’s hopes for a secure, Western-backed postwar future are being directly threatened by a vow of “destruction” from Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has warned that any foreign troops deployed to the country would be considered “legitimate targets,” a statement aimed at sabotaging a 26-nation security plan.
The plan, championed by French President Emmanuel Macron, is designed to give Ukraine concrete security guarantees, including a military presence, once the current conflict is over. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has hailed this as a crucial step, suggesting a large-scale deployment. Putin’s threat, however, aims to make the risk of such a deployment unpalatable for the West.
The Kremlin’s aggressive posture is intended to sow division among Kyiv’s allies. It highlights the deep-seated fear of escalation in many European capitals, with countries like Germany and Spain refusing to commit their soldiers. This has already led to the initial, more robust peacekeeping idea being scaled down.
This new level of hostility comes as the peace process remains entirely stalled. There is no clear path to a ceasefire, let alone a comprehensive political settlement. The mutual distrust between the Russian and Ukrainian leadership appears insurmountable, making any discussion of “postwar” scenarios highly speculative.
