Russia says sending Western troops to Ukraine will lead to clash of nuclear powers

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Wednesday that sending Western troops to Ukraine will lead to a direct clash of nuclear powers.

Commenting at a press briefing in Moscow on a call by French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu to address the issue of deploying non-nuclear "deterrence forces" in Ukraine, Zakharova warned that such actions would have "catastrophic consequences."

"He (Lecornu) is not the only representative of the West who is trying to 'flirt' with the idea of sending foreign troops to Ukraine. The practical implementation of this idea, you know what it will lead to. I can repeat for those who may have forgotten: It will lead to a direct clash of nuclear powers with catastrophic consequences," she stressed.

Lecornu made the remarks Monday when asked about a proposal by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to deploy NATO troops on the territory of his country, saying he agreed that the allies must consider such a possibility.