Paris, September 4 (H.S.) : Moscow has once again issued a stern warning that it will not accept the presence of Western troops in Ukraine under any future peace settlement.
The statement came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Paris on Thursday to meet with a group of senior European leaders.
According to ABC News, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stressed that Moscow has no intention of negotiating over what it calls “unacceptable foreign interference in Ukraine.” She accused the West of using Ukraine as a “testing ground for military escalation,” reiterating Russia’s long-held opposition to any NATO troop deployment as part of a settlement to end the full-scale invasion launched in February 2022.
Despite this, NATO leaders and Kyiv have continued discussing the possible deployment of allied troops, arguing such forces would form part of the security guarantees necessary to underpin any U.S.-brokered peace agreement. Zakharova countered, saying that the security measures on the table were “not guarantees of security for Ukraine, but a guarantee of risk for the entire European continent.”
Following Zelensky’s arrival in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron’s office stated that Macron and other leaders would hold a virtual call with U.S. President Donald Trump at 8 a.m. Eastern Time. Macron hosted Zelensky at the Élysée Palace on Wednesday, declaring alongside him:
“As Europeans, we are prepared to provide Ukraine and its people with security assurances on the very day a peace agreement is signed.”
The French president added that he had already reviewed confidential documents prepared at the defense-ministerial level and confirmed: “The groundwork is ready. Political backing will now follow, allowing us to act decisively. Tomorrow’s meetings and announcements will demonstrate that Europe stands ready for a strong and lasting peace for Ukraine.”
Zelensky, however, noted that “there are still no genuine signs from Russia that it seeks to end this war.” He expressed confidence that closer cooperation with Europe and the United States would help exert additional diplomatic pressure on Moscow.
The Paris talks brought together several top European leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. A number of other leaders participated virtually.
Meanwhile, in Washington, the White House confirmed that President Donald Trump would also hold direct talks with Zelensky on Thursday.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
