Russia reiterated its objection to the notion of foreign troops being deployed to Ukraine. This comes as European leaders convened with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and participated in a joint call with President .
On Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that any proposal for the stationing of foreign military personnel in Ukraine would be “unacceptable” to Moscow, .
“Russia will not engage in discussions concerning a foreign intervention in Ukraine, in any form or format, as it is fundamentally unacceptable and compromises security,” Zakharova informed reporters, as per Reuters.
This declaration was a response to remarks made by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen regarding potential plans to dispatch European troops to Ukraine.
Russia was not alone in dismissing von der Leyen’s comments, as Germany also expressed reservations about the proposition. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told journalists that certain “issues are not to be discussed before sitting down at the negotiating table with numerous parties who have a say in the matter.”
Although the call occurred Thursday morning, the White House did not issue any public statement detailing the discussions or any progress made towards ending the conflict. However, Zelenskyy appeared to view it positively, thanking Trump in a post on X about the meeting.
“I wish to extend special thanks to President Trump for all his endeavors to end this war and for America’s readiness to provide support to Ukraine on its part,” .
indicated that during the meeting, which included U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, the world leaders discussed how each nation would be prepared to contribute to ensuring Kyiv’s security.
“We share the conviction that Russia is making every effort to prolong the negotiation process and extend the war. Support for Ukraine must be increased, and pressure on Russia must be intensified,” Zelenskyy stated.
Global leaders have advocated for a resolution to the , which has persisted for over three years since Moscow’s February 2022 invasion.
Digital contacted the White House for comment regarding the call but did not receive an immediate reply.