Putin warns of "tragic consequences" if NATO sends troops to Ukraine
Following the recent statement by French President Emmanuel Macron, Russian president Vladimir Putin threatened NATO with "tragic consequences" if member states sent their own forces to fight in Ukraine.
Source: Putin during his address to the Federal Assembly on 29 February
Quote: "The West claims that Russia is allegedly planning to attack Europe; this is just nonsense.
There is talk about the possibility of sending NATO military forces to Ukraine, but we must remember the fate of previous armies deployed on our country’s territory. Now, the consequences for potential intruders will be much more tragic.
They must understand that we also have weapons to strike targets in their territory. Every tactic they (the West – ed.) invent and use to scare the world invokes a real threat of a conflict involving nuclear weapons, which would mean the destruction of civilisation."
Background:
- On 27 February, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Western leaders had discussed the possibility of deploying their countries’ ground forces to Ukraine during a conference in Paris, but the allies have not reached a consensus on this issue. Macron also stated that Russia could attack NATO countries in the coming years – a statement backed by Moscow's recent actions in the past weeks.
- A number of European states and the NATO leadership have subsequently stated that they do not plan to send troops to Ukraine.
- General Onno Eichelsheim, the Chief of the General Staff of the Netherlands Army, believes that discussing the deployment of troops from Western countries to Ukraine at the moment is pointless. However, allies should remain open to all possible options.
- The White House commented on the possibility of sending NATO troops to Ukraine, saying that no US forces will be sent there.
- NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated that the Alliance does not plan on deploying troops to Ukraine. He emphasised that individual decisions made by specific member countries do not necessitate unanimous support from all member nations.
- Dmitry Peskov, the spokesperson for the Russian president, stated that the presence of NATO troops on the territory of Ukraine would lead to a direct conflict between the Alliance and the Russian Federation.
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