Kremlin reaffirms opposition to European peacekeepers’ deployment in Ukraine

MOSCOW/WASHINGTON: The Kremlin, asked about an assertion by US President Donald Trump that Russia was open to European peacekeepers being deployed in Ukraine, referred reporters to an earlier statement that such a move would be unacceptable to Moscow.

Russia has repeatedly said it opposes having Nato troops on the ground in Ukraine, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying last week that Moscow would view that as a “direct threat” to Russia’s sovereignty, even if the troops operated there under a different flag.

Asked about Trump’s comment, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refrained from publicly contradicting the US president, but effectively reaffirmed Russia’s opposition to the idea. “There is a position on this matter that was expressed by the Russian Foreign Minister, Lavrov. I have nothing to add to this and nothing to comment on. I leave this without comment,” said Peskov.

Trump said on Monday that both he and Putin accepted the idea of European peacekeepers in Ukraine if a settlement was reached to end the war. “Yeah, he will accept that,” Trump said. “I specifically asked him that question. He has no problem with it.”

Brian Hughes, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, did not respond directly to the Kremlin’s latest comment, saying the Trump administration would continue to work with Moscow and Kyiv to end the war.

“President Trump’s commitment to achieving an end to this brutal, bloody war and then establishing the framework for a lasting peace will not be negotiated through the media,” Hughes said. “The Trump administration knows that sustaining peace requires Europe to do more, and we have heard leaders like (French) President (Emmanuel) Macron and British Prime Minister (Keir) Starmer - as well as others - offer to do just that. We continue to work with Russia and Ukraine for peace because you can’t end a war without talking to both sides.”

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron warned that peace cannot mean the “surrender” of Ukraine, but said talks with US President Donald Trump had shown a path forward despite fears of a transatlantic rift.

Meeting at the White House on the third anniversary of Russia´s invasion, the two leaders said there was progress on the idea of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine, although Macron insisted on US security guarantees for Kyiv.

Their talks came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for peace “this year” as he met European leaders in Kyiv -- amid mounting fears that Trump is pivoting towards Russia´s stance.

Early on Tuesday, air raid sirens sounded across Ukraine as authorities warned of a wide missile attack. They later reported at least five people were wounded and multiple buildings were damaged.

Authorities in neighboring Poland said they scrambled military aircraft in response to the missile attack. At the United Nations, the United States sided with Russia twice on Monday, as Washington sought to avoid any condemnation of Moscow´s invasion of its pro-Western neighbour. “This peace cannot mean the surrender of Ukraine,” Macron told a joint news conference with Trump.