Russia has issued a stark warning against the possible deployment of NATO-backed foreign forces to Ukraine, claiming such a move could ignite a direct confrontation with Moscow—and potentially spiral into a global war.
Sergey Shoigu, now serving as secretary of Russia’s National Security Council, didn’t mince words in a recent interview with state-run TASS. The former defense minister blasted discussions among NATO leaders—led by France and the UK—about sending so-called “peacekeepers” into Ukraine. Shoigu contended the term is a thin veil for what he sees as a clear intent to seize control of Ukrainian land and resources.
He cautioned that sending troops, even under the banner of a multinational “coalition of the willing,” could draw NATO and Russia into direct conflict. That kind of flashpoint, Shoigu warned, wouldn’t just rattle Europe—it could trigger World War III.
“Let’s call it what it is,” he said. “These aren’t peacekeepers. They’re invaders in disguise.”
According to Shoigu, “reasonable” European leaders are aware of the risks but might be underestimating the gravity of the situation. He stressed that Moscow has opposed any NATO military footprint in Ukraine long before the current war broke out, describing it as one of the core reasons for Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Shoigu pointed to the construction of a British-backed naval base in Ochakov, a city in Ukraine’s Nikolayev region, as a key example of NATO encroachment. The base, he claimed, served both as a training ground for Ukrainian special forces and a launchpad for hostile actions against Russia.
That base was just the beginning, Shoigu suggested. A sweeping “100 Year Partnership” agreement signed this January between Kyiv and London promises more defense cooperation, including the construction of military bases and weapons storage sites inside Ukraine.
And the political push hasn’t slowed. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have floated the idea of mobilizing ground troops and air support to back Ukraine—though only after a ceasefire is in place.
But Moscow isn’t buying the peace rhetoric. The Kremlin has flat-out rejected the idea of foreign troops on Ukrainian soil, no matter the label. Russian officials insist any such force would be treated as hostile and legitimate military targets.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov echoed Shoigu’s assessment, accusing Western powers of exploiting peacekeeping proposals to bolster their anti-Russian stance under the guise of diplomacy.
While talks of deploying Western troops remain just that—talks—Russia’s latest warnings raise the stakes. The message from Moscow is crystal clear: any boots on the ground without its blessing could have catastrophic consequences.
