Russia’s Foreign Ministry has again issued a stern warning that it will not tolerate Western troops in Ukraine, even as Kyiv and its allies weigh potential security guarantees tied to a U.S.-brokered peace agreement.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Thursday that Moscow “does not intend to discuss unacceptable foreign intervention in Ukraine in any form whatsoever,” accusing Western powers of using Ukraine as a “testing ground” for military technology.
The comments came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with European leaders at the Élysée Palace in Paris. The “Coalition of the Willing” — a group of 26 nations — also held a video call with U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to the White House, Trump urged European leaders to halt purchases of Russian oil, which he said had generated €1.1 billion for Moscow in a single year, and called for economic pressure on China over its financial ties to Russia.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that coalition members had finalized a plan to provide security guarantees for Ukraine. Some nations, he said, are prepared to commit land, sea, or air forces to help enforce a ceasefire and safeguard peace once an agreement is reached. The plan will now be shared with Washington for approval in the coming days.
Other European officials present included 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.
Zelenskyy later described his separate conversation with Trump as “long and very detailed,” emphasizing that the path to peace lies in cutting off Russia’s financial resources. He also raised Ukraine’s proposal for a special arrangement with the U.S. to strengthen air defense.
“Until peace is secured, Ukrainians must not be left vulnerable to constant missile and drone attacks,” Zelenskyy said.
Trump, facing questions from reporters about his approach to Russia, defended his administration’s actions, pointing to new 25% tariffs on Indian goods in response to New Delhi’s purchases of Russian energy and weapons. “You call that no action?” he said. “That costs Russia hundreds of billions.”
Although Trump has previously suggested a direct meeting between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kyiv has dismissed the idea after Putin floated Moscow as a venue. Ukrainian officials labeled the proposal “knowingly unacceptable.”
Trump told reporters he would speak with Putin “over the next few days,” adding: “He knows where I stand. Whatever decision he makes, we’ll respond accordingly.”
