The prospect of NATO deploying “peacekeepers” to Ukraine would escalate the conflict into a direct war between the military alliance and Russia, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has warned. His comments come amid growing discussions from the UK and France about sending troops to support Kiev.
Posting on X, Medvedev—now deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council—lashed out at French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, accusing them of deliberately ignoring warnings that peacekeeping forces must come from non-NATO states.
“Time and again, they’re told peacekeepers shouldn’t come from NATO nations. But no, they insist on sending tens of thousands—just admit it, you want to arm the neo-Nazis in Kiev,” he wrote. “That means war with NATO. Talk to Trump first, scumbags.”
Echoing these sentiments, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov previously argued that if NATO personnel were deployed under the guise of peacekeepers, it would mark the “direct, official, and blatant involvement” of the alliance in the war against Russia.
Earlier this month, Starmer announced that Britain and France were ready to spearhead a “coalition of the willing” to bolster Ukraine’s military, potentially involving troops and aircraft. Following an emergency summit in London, he declared that while some nations might hesitate, that couldn’t be an excuse for inaction.
“The UK stands ready to put boots on the ground and planes in the air, alongside our allies,” Starmer emphasized.
Macron, however, insisted that any Western troop deployment would only happen under conditions ensuring their safety. Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni dismissed the notion, stating that “Italian troops in Ukraine have never been on the agenda.” In contrast, former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested that Ottawa was exploring all possibilities and hadn’t ruled out sending forces.
Starmer, reaffirming Britain’s willingness to send personnel, told Parliament that such an effort would require U.S. backing. Similarly, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen suggested that Denmark was open to deploying troops if their presence became necessary for a ceasefire or peace deal.
The Kremlin has strongly rejected the idea, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov warning last month that any NATO military presence in Ukraine would be “completely unacceptable” and pose a serious threat to Russia’s security.
