Moscow, Aug 2026 : Russia has reiterated its opposition to any deployment of military personnel from NATO member states in Ukraine, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov warning that such a move would be unacceptable to Moscow.
“We have repeatedly stated our position at various levels that the deployment of foreign military contingents of NATO member states in Ukraine is unacceptable for us,” Peskov said on Tuesday.
His remarks came after leaders of the Coalition of the Willing held a virtual meeting in Kyiv on Monday to mark Ukraine’s 35th anniversary of independence. The meeting was chaired by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Following the meeting, the coalition said it would continue preparations for the Multinational Force Ukraine, which could be deployed once a credible cessation of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine is established.
The proposed multinational force has emerged as part of broader European efforts to provide security guarantees to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire or eventual peace agreement. Moscow, however, has consistently opposed the presence of NATO-linked foreign troops on Ukrainian territory.
Peskov also said Russia remained confident of achieving victory in the ongoing conflict and would continue its military operations in the absence of conditions for a peaceful settlement.
“I can assure you, we are not just counting on it, we are confident that this victory will come,” he said.
Meanwhile, European support for Ukraine’s military capabilities continues to expand. The European Commission on Monday approved 6.1 billion euros, equivalent to around $7.12 billion, in additional defence procurement for Ukraine.
The latest package will cover a range of military equipment, including air defence systems, missiles, ammunition and radar systems.
The European Commission said the new approval comes on top of approximately 16 billion euros in procurement plans that had already been approved, of which around 8.35 billion euros has been disbursed.
Most of the newly procured military equipment will be sourced from defence companies based in the European Union, according to the Commission.
The EU said Russia’s increased use of ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones had created an urgent requirement to accelerate deliveries to Ukraine. The latest measures are intended to achieve this by reprioritising existing orders and increasing production capacity.
The funding is being provided through the EU’s 90-billion-euro Ukraine Support Loan for 2026 and 2027. The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union adopted legislation establishing the loan in February.
Under the EU’s disbursement mechanism, Ukraine can request funds after signing procurement agreements with defence manufacturers. The European Commission will examine the contracts before releasing payments to ensure that purchases comply with procurement plans agreed upon by EU member states.
The contrasting positions underline the continuing divide between Moscow and European governments over the future security architecture of Ukraine. While European countries are preparing additional military support and discussing potential security arrangements, Russia continues to reject any NATO military presence in Ukraine and maintains that conditions for a negotiated settlement have not yet been established.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
