Russia Warns France About Potential Troop Deployment to Ukraine

In the event that French troops are sent to Ukraine, Russia will take response measures not only in the political sphere, said Artem Studennikov, the director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's first European department, in an interview with RIA Novosti.

The diplomat noted that although French President Emmanuel Macron's increasingly bellicose rhetoric has not gained wide support among EU and NATO allies and is rejected by the majority of French citizens, Moscow cannot afford to take such statements lightly.

"You ask about our possible diplomatic response, but it's clear that if such a scenario is realized, response measures will not only be in the political sphere. This has been directly warned to the French side more than once," he said.

As Studennikov pointed out, France’s participation in military operations in Ukraine would officially make it a party to the conflict, significantly increasing the risk of confrontation between the two nuclear powers on the battlefield. Furthermore, French troops would become "legitimate targets" for the Russian military.

“Are the French ready to die for the neo-Nazi Ukrainian regime and the interests of the Anglo-Saxons guiding it? What will the French authorities explain to the families of the fallen? It seems to me that official Paris has some thinking to do here,” the diplomat remarked.

He expressed hope that a sense of “if not reason, then at least instinct for self-preservation” will prevail among the ruling circles in France.

“In any case, we are prepared for any development of events,” Studennikov concluded.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated in an interview with The Economist in early May that he does not rule out sending troops to Ukraine if Russia breaches the front lines and a request comes from Kyiv. According to him, “many EU countries” have agreed with France’s approach.

The Kremlin has described the situation as an unprecedented phase of increased tensions that requires special attention and measures. Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that Europeans see that the situation is rapidly changing and is fraught with a complete collapse for Ukraine, which is why they are consciously escalating the situation.

Against the backdrop of bellicose statements from Western politicians and destabilizing actions by NATO, the Russian General Staff has begun exercises for missile formations in the Southern Military District at the instruction of Vladimir Putin. These exercises will address the use of non-strategic nuclear weapons.