Trump's Ceasefire Initiative Faces Setback... Putin Warns "Western Security Forces Could Be Targeted"

Disagreements Over Preconditions for Talks
Russia-Ukraine Summit Faces Delays

Russian President Vladimir Putin has pushed back against the plan to deploy Western security forces to Ukraine, causing a setback to the ceasefire initiative led by U.S. President Donald Trump.

On September 5 (local time), President Putin stated, "We will consider security forces as legitimate targets," and added, "The possibility of deploying such troops to Ukraine was one of the fundamental reasons that drew Ukraine toward the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)."

On September 4, Russia launched a missile attack on Ukrainian members of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) who were conducting mine clearance operations in northern Ukraine, resulting in the deaths of two people.

President Putin's reaction is interpreted as a clear refusal to accept the ceasefire and peacekeeping plans that have been discussed by President Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and the participating countries of the European 'Coalition of Will.'

French President Emmanuel Macron held a meeting with the leaders of the 'Coalition of Will' on September 4, where they agreed to dispatch security forces from 26 Western countries the day after a ceasefire or peace agreement is reached between the two countries. Security guarantees for Ukraine have been a precondition demanded by President Zelensky for ceasefire negotiations.

President Trump also reportedly agreed on August 18, during talks with President Zelensky and European leaders, to provide security guarantees similar to NATO's collective defense. However, he maintained a passive stance regarding the direct deployment of U.S. troops.

As a result, with the ceasefire initiative facing obstacles, the Putin-Zelensky bilateral summit promoted by President Trump is effectively falling apart. President Putin stated, "We are fully prepared for the talks, and the best location would be the Russian capital, Moscow," effectively signaling a lack of willingness to proceed. Previously, President Zelensky had remarked, "Russia is using every means to delay the talks. If they do not want the talks to happen, they should invite me to Moscow."

On August 22, President Trump declared, "If there is no progress on ending the war within two weeks, I will make a 'very important decision.'" However, by the deadline, there had been no progress in negotiations, and Russia had instead conducted multiple airstrikes against Ukraine.

In this situation, Russia is building an anti-American alliance with countries such as China and India, making progress on ending the war appear unlikely. On September 2, President Putin visited China and was seen having a friendly conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. He also attended China's Victory Day military parade, standing alongside President Xi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

President Trump expressed his displeasure on the social media platform Truth Social, stating, "It seems India and Russia have been taken by the deepest, darkest China," and added, "I hope they enjoy a long and prosperous future together."

Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Kremlin, commented on the possibility of a U.S.-Russia summit, saying, "If both presidents consider it necessary, I have no doubt that a meeting could be organized very quickly." However, the likelihood of such a summit taking place appears low.