Putin Warns Europe: Sending Troops to Ukraine Means 'War with Russia'

President Vladimir Putin warned Europe on Friday that sending any troops to help Ukraine would mean an escalation of the conflict and war with Russia.

Putin delivered his warning to reporters at the BRICS summit in New Delhi. Putin stated, "Now, they say they are thinking of how to deploy troops to Ukraine. This would mean a war with Russia." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated this position on Saturday, calling it not a red line, but Russia’s position that has been conveyed to the whole world.

Putin's caution follows French President Emmanuel Macron's statement one week prior that 26 countries, including the UK, had pledged to support sending troops to Ukraine in a peacekeeping mission to provide postwar guarantees. Macron said, "The day the conflict stops, the security guarantees will be deployed." Russian strikes killed three civilians and wounded dozens in Ukraine on Saturday.

Two people died and one was wounded in Zaporizhzhia from Russian drone strikes, according to regional head Ivan Fedorov. One person died and three others were wounded in strikes on Kryvyi Rih. In Odesa, 35 people were wounded in a massive attack that destroyed upper floors of a residential high-rise, according to regional head Oleh Kiper.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the country was hit by nearly 500 Russian attack drones throughout Saturday. Putin denied Russia posed any threat to Europe, stating, there is no such threat and never has been. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Thursday that two incidents along Ukraine’s borders with Poland and Moldova this week previewed potential intensified Russian provocations at border crossing points.