Russian FM deems any western military presence in Ukraine unacceptable

03/02/2026

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks with the newly appointed Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Taalatbek Masadykov, not pictured, at the Russian Foreign Ministry headquarters in Moscow, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool)

MOSCOW, Feb 3, (Xinhua): The deployment of Western troops and military infrastructure on Ukrainian territory is unacceptable and will be regarded as an intervention, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday.

"The deployment in Ukraine of military units, military facilities, depots, and other infrastructure of Western countries is unacceptable for us and will be classified as foreign intervention, posing a direct threat to Russia's security," Lavrov was quoted as saying on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website.

Lavrov criticized the approach to resolving the crisis proposed by Ukraine and Western countries, which involves the deployment of "multinational forces" to ensure Ukraine's security. According to him, such a measure effectively means creating a bridgehead for further confrontation with Russia.