Conflict & Security
Putin says European troops in Ukraine would mean war
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Friday that any deployment of European troops to Ukraine would amount to “a war against Russia”, Russian news agencies quoted him as saying.
“At the moment, they say they are considering how to send troops onto Ukrainian territory. That means a war against Russia,” Putin said, referring to European leaders.
Putin also said Moscow did not pose a threat to European countries. “We are not threatening and have no intention of threatening European countries,” he said. “No one even realises that we have no reason to enter into conflict with Europe.”
He accused European leaders of “frightening their populations with an imaginary threat coming from Russia” and added: “This threat does not exist and has never existed.”
Russia launched a large-scale offensive against Ukraine in February 2022 and has repeatedly said the deployment of Western troops on Ukrainian territory would be a red line. Such a deployment has been discussed by European leaders for several years but has not materialised.
Russia justifies its assault on Ukraine by citing what it says is a threat from NATO's expansion toward its borders. Ukraine aspires to join the Western military alliance.
Update
Putin said Russia was not threatening European countries and had no reason to enter into conflict with Europe.
Putin accused European leaders of frightening their populations with what he called an imaginary Russian threat.
The source adds that European troop deployment to Ukraine has been discussed for several years but has not materialised.
The source adds Russia's stated justification that NATO expansion to its borders poses a threat.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 20:32:51 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The item does not identify a specific European deployment plan or the European leaders Putin was referring to.
Source
AFP news report published on .