Putin Ally Says "Deploying European Peacekeeping Forces Could Trigger NATO-Russia War"

"Macron and Starmer Are Acting Foolishly"

Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council and close aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, warned that the deployment of peacekeeping forces by European countries to Ukraine could lead to a war between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Russia.

Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council

On the 16th (local time), according to Russian TASS news agency, Deputy Chairman Medvedev stated on his X (formerly Twitter) account that French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who are leading discussions on peacekeeping forces, are "acting foolishly." He said, "Russia has repeatedly expressed to them that the peacekeeping forces in Ukraine must be sent from non-NATO countries," but criticized, "Despite this, they want to provide military support to the neo-Nazis in Kyiv."

He added, "The deployment of peacekeeping forces in Ukraine could mean a war between NATO and Russia," and suggested, "Discuss it with (Donald) Trump, the former U.S. president."

Recently, in Europe, discussions on deploying peacekeeping forces in preparation for a possible ceasefire in Ukraine have been progressing, centered around the United Kingdom and France. Accordingly, 30 countries, called the "Coalition of the Willing," held a virtual summit on the 15th, and plan to continue further discussions at a military chiefs meeting scheduled for the 20th.