Russia has dismissed a peace agreement proposed in Ukraine and labeled British soldiers as legitimate military targets, raising concerns about a potential major air assault on Kyiv. The Kremlin reacted negatively to a new US-European initiative offering security assurances to Ukraine upon reaching a ceasefire, denouncing it as foreign interference and a direct threat to Russian security.
Following a joint effort by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron to establish military hubs in Ukraine in case of an agreement to safeguard the nation from further aggression, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Britain and its allies of planning to escalate militarization in Ukraine. She cautioned that Western military presence and infrastructure in Ukraine would be considered valid targets for Russian forces.
Zakharova highlighted the intentions of the UK and France to establish military bases and weapon storage facilities in Ukraine post-ceasefire, emphasizing that such actions would be viewed as foreign intervention jeopardizing Russian and European security. She warned that all Western military units and facilities in Ukraine would become legitimate targets for the Russian Armed Forces.
Furthermore, Zakharova criticized the 35-nation Coalition of the Willing signatories of the January 6 agreement as creating a war alliance that would have destructive consequences for Europe and its inhabitants. She stressed that any resolution to the conflict in Ukraine would necessitate the country adopting a neutral stance, abandoning NATO aspirations, and relinquishing occupied territories. Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Kyiv alerted citizens to potential aerial attacks on the Ukrainian capital, advising them to seek shelter immediately upon hearing air raid sirens.