French troops in Ukraine to be 'legitimate targets' for Russia: Lavrov
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov further calls the upcoming summit for Ukraine in Switzerland as meaningless, with the only purpose being for Kiev to preserve itself from crumbling.
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during the talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Burkina Faso Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré in Congo, June 4, 2024 (Russian FM Press/AP)
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that any French military instructor present in Ukraine to train its forces would be a “legitimate target” for Russian armed forces.
Lavrov made the announcement during a joint news conference with the Republic of Congo's Foreign Minister Jean Claude Gakosso as part of his African tour.
“Regardless of their status, military officials or mercenaries represent a legitimate target for our armed forces”, Lavrov said, which comes after Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky announced on Monday that the initial batch of French military instructors are expected to travel to Ukraine soon.
The announcement was issued following a video call involving Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu.
Read more: Macron joins NATO, Kiev, says Ukraine should be able to bomb Russia
French nationals already fighting in Ukraine
France does not have officially deployed military personnel to assist or train Ukrainian forces within Ukraine. Yet, a recent report by Responsible Statecraft revealed that French nationals, along other citizens of Western countries, are already fighting in Ukraine.
Macron's previous remarks regarding potential Western troop deployment to Ukraine have elicited strong reactions from Moscow.
Lavrov's African diplomatic efforts included visits to Mali, where he pledged military support, and recently agreed to launch the construction of West Africa's largest solar power plant.
Lavrov further called the upcoming summit for Ukraine in Switzerland meaningless.
“This conference in Switzerland has no meaning,” he said, noting, “The only meaning it can have is to try to preserve this anti-Russian bloc which is in the process of crumbling.”
The foreign minister is due to meet on Wednesday with Captain Ibrahim Traore, Mali's leader, before his next visit to Chad.
