Kremlin Dismisses Trump’s Claim That Russia Would Accept European Troops in Ukraine

• Feb 25, 2025

Moscow Reiterates Stance as Sources Say Putin Remains Committed to Controlling Ukraine’s Political Future

The Kremlin has cast doubt on Donald Trump’s assertion that Vladimir Putin is open to the deployment of European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine, highlighting Moscow’s reluctance to support Trump’s push for a swift resolution to the war.

Trump, eager to fulfill a key campaign promise, claimed on Monday that the conflict in Ukraine “could end within weeks” and suggested that both he and Putin backed the idea of European troops on the ground.

“He will accept that,” Trump told reporters during a meeting at the White House with French President Emmanuel Macron. “I specifically asked him that question. He has no problem with it.”

However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov contradicted Trump’s statement on Tuesday, referring to previous remarks from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

“There is a position on this matter that was expressed by Russian Foreign Minister [Sergei] Lavrov. I have nothing to add to this and nothing to comment on,” Peskov stated.

Lavrov had previously dismissed the idea of European peacekeepers in Ukraine as “unacceptable” during talks with U.S. officials in Riyadh last week.

A Blow to Trump’s Peace Efforts

This apparent contradiction weakens Trump’s diplomatic push for a rapid peace deal, despite recent efforts to thaw tensions between Washington and Moscow. The Kremlin’s rejection of Western forces in Ukraine presents an early challenge for Trump’s team and underscores Washington’s limited leverage over Putin’s negotiating stance.

The dispute also raises doubts over whether European leaders will proceed with plans for a peacekeeping force, given Putin’s firm opposition to the presence of foreign troops in Ukraine as part of any settlement.

While Kyiv has expressed openness to territorial compromises—including potentially relinquishing some areas lost since 2014—Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is unlikely to sign an agreement without concrete security guarantees, such as European military presence.

Putin Seeks to Reshape Security Order

Speaking to Russian officials on Monday, Putin downplayed the likelihood of an imminent agreement, emphasizing that discussions with Trump had only touched on broad outlines of a resolution.

“It was not discussed in detail,” he said, adding, “We only agreed that we would move toward this. And in this case, of course, we are not refusing the participation of European countries [in talks].”

Moscow has rejected the idea of a simple ceasefire, arguing that Ukraine would use the pause to rebuild its military. Instead, Putin insists on addressing what he calls the “root causes” of the conflict, including Ukraine’s NATO ambitions and what he perceives as an anti-Russian government in Kyiv.

According to sources familiar with Kremlin strategy, Putin remains determined to limit Kyiv’s military capabilities, ban foreign weapons from Ukrainian soil, enforce Ukraine’s permanent neutrality, and maintain Russian influence over Ukraine’s political direction.

One key condition for normalizing relations with the U.S., these sources say, is the withdrawal of NATO forces from Eastern Europe—a demand that would significantly alter Europe’s security landscape.

Moscow has also ruled out territorial concessions, insisting on full control over the four Ukrainian regions it claimed in 2022, despite not fully occupying them.

Thomas Graham, a former White House adviser on Russia who recently met with Russian officials in Moscow, said Putin’s broader goal remains clear.

“Putin wants to control Ukraine—all of Ukraine,” Graham said. “He wants influence over its geopolitical direction and, to some extent, its domestic policies. His vision is similar to the relationship Russia has with Belarus.”

Russia’s Military Gains Strengthen Its Negotiating Position

For now, Putin appears willing to continue diplomatic exchanges. Trump recently faced criticism for making a phone call to Putin, which some saw as breaking Western unity against Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Meanwhile, Moscow continues its military campaign, believing that battlefield gains will bolster its position at the negotiating table. Although Russia’s advance in eastern Ukraine had slowed earlier this year, recent weeks have seen renewed momentum. According to Ukrainian open-source research group Deep State, Russian forces have seized nearly 90 square kilometers of territory in the past week—their largest gain since December.

At the same time, Ukraine faces a sobering reality: how long can it sustain the fight if Trump decides to cut off U.S. military aid?

“With every town and city captured, Russia’s position will only harden,” said a source familiar with Kremlin thinking. “Moscow has time on its side.”