Russia has warned NATO’s European member states of a potential conflict if the West realizes a debated plan of deploying troops to Ukraine.
The Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that both Europe and the United States should “assess” their support to Ukraine.
“In this case, we need to talk not about the likelihood, but about the inevitability of a conflict,” Peskov was quoted as saying.
“These countries must also assess and be aware of this, asking themselves whether this is in their interests, as well as the interests of the citizens of their countries,” he told journalists during a daily call.
The comments came a day after President Emmanuel Macron of France openly discussed the possibility of sending European troops to Ukraine.
On Monday, the French president stated that the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine could not be dismissed, despite the lack of “consensus” on the matter.
“There is no consensus at this stage… to send troops on the ground,” Macron said.
“Nothing should be excluded. We will do everything that we must so that Russia does not win.”
Russia has repeatedly warned of the repercussions of continued Western military assistance to Ukraine. The Western camp has ignored the warning. Kiev has enjoyed a nonstop flow of military support worth billions of dollars since the beginning of the conflict in February 2022.
In 2023, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of Russia said the United States, Britain and many others are “waging war” against Russia and they are engaged in hostilities against the country by assisting Ukraine.
Meanwhile, several European countries have announced unwillingness to send troops to Ukraine.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday ruled out suggestions that European countries and NATO members would send ground troops to Ukraine.
“Once again, in a very good debate, it was discussed that what was agreed from the outset among ourselves and with each other also applies to the future, namely that there will be no ground troops, no soldiers on Ukrainian soil sent there by European countries or NATO states.”
A spokesman for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the United Kingdom does not plan to deploy troops to Ukraine either, according to Reuters.
Hungary and Slovakia are also not intending to make that deployment of troops.
And Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk, one of Ukraine’s ardent supporters, has also been clear about keeping European boots out of the battle ground.
On Sunday, Ukraine complained about the late delivery of weapons and munitions from the West.
“We have a plan. We are working to the plan. We are doing everything possible and impossible. But without timely supply [of Western arms and munitions], it’s hard for us,” Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said.
