Kremlin says NATO troops in Ukraine pose a threat to Moscow

Moscow on Friday rejected the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine, even after a potential peace deal with Kiev.

“We would recognize it as a threat to ourselves – the presence of international forces, or any foreign forces, or NATO forces on Ukrainian soil, near our border,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in Vladivostok on the sidelines of the economic forum, according to Russian news agency Interfax.

Peskov said NATO sees Russia as an enemy and this is explicitly stated in its documents. “That is dangerous for our country,” he stressed.

Regarding discussions on security guarantees, it cannot only be about Ukraine, the spokesman said, adding that Russia also needs guarantees for its own security.

Peskov noted that the war against Ukraine, which has lasted more than three and a half years, also has its roots in NATO’s expansion up to Russia’s borders.

Kremlin: Ukraine’s security cannot come at Russia’s expense

The security of Ukraine, which aspires to join NATO, must not be ensured at Russia’s expense, Peskov said, referring to Thursday’s meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing in Paris.

At the talks, numerous NATO member states had expressed readiness to station troops in Ukraine to protect the country from renewed aggression by its neighbour after a possible ceasefire or peace deal with Russia.

“You cannot guarantee the security of one country at the expense of destroying the security of another. That will not help us move closer to a solution to the Ukraine conflict,” Peskov said.

According to the Kremlin, one of Russia’s war aims is to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO.