Russia Rejects Trump-Backed Ukraine Security Guarantees, Warns Foreign Troops are Targets

• Russia rejected European security guarantees for Ukraine, endorsed by Donald Trump, reiterating a longstanding position.
• Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova called Ukraine's European partners an "axis of war" and their commitments "militaristic declarations."
• The rejection follows pledges from the UK and France to deploy soldiers to Ukraine as part of a multinational peacekeeping force.
• Zakharova stated that any foreign troops or Western infrastructure in Ukraine would be considered legitimate military targets for Russian Armed Forces.
• Russia maintains that the only way to end the war is to accept its terms regarding the "root causes" of the conflict, implying an end to Ukrainian sovereignty.

Why It Matters: Russia firmly rejects Western security guarantees for Ukraine, threatening foreign troops as legitimate military targets.