06:57Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova warned that should the French troops enter Ukraine, they 'will inevitably become targets', while speaking at a briefing in Moscow on Wednesday.
"We have commented on the French leader's irresponsible and provocative rhetoric on more than one occasion. Unfortunately, each new statement he makes raises no fewer questions," Zakharova said, discussing Emmanuel Macron's latest comments on sending troops to Ukraine.
"Macron himself explains this rhetoric with a desire to create some kind of 'strategic uncertainty' for Russia. We have to disappoint him. For us the situation looks more than certain. We also decided a long time ago. If the French enter the conflict zone, they will inevitably become targets for the Russian Armed Forces," she continued.
Zakharova also claimed that the situation at the front for Kiev was a 'stalemate', adding that the West was 'tightening the noose around the neck of the Ukrainian citizens' instead of taking into account their interests.
On May 2, French President Emmanuel Macron was quoted in an interview with The Economist that Europe should not rule out sending troops to Ukraine. He has previously made similar comments, causing friction with NATO allies such as the US and Germany.
Earlier this week, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that the Russian Armed Forces General Staff had started preparing exercises with non-strategic nuclear weapons due to remarks made by politicians from France, the UK and the USA, who 'mentioned the readiness and even the intention to deploy armed forces to Ukraine'.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said during his visit to Kiev that Ukraine had the 'right' to use the weapons provided by London to strike targets inside Russia, while US House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said that if Ukraine was allowed to 'fall', then "there’s a significant likelihood that America will have to get into the conflict – not simply with our money, but with our servicewomen and our servicemen".
On May 7, a petition calling for Ukraine authorities to request NATO troops was also posted to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s website. It requires 25,000 votes to be considered, and had just over 2,400 early on May 9.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
French troops 'will inevitably become targets' if they enter Ukraine - Zakharova
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova warned that should the French troops enter Ukraine, they 'will inevitably become targets', while speaking at a briefing in Moscow on Wednesday.
"We have commented on the French leader's irresponsible and provocative rhetoric on more than one occasion. Unfortunately, each new statement he makes raises no fewer questions," Zakharova said, discussing Emmanuel Macron's latest comments on sending troops to Ukraine.
"Macron himself explains this rhetoric with a desire to create some kind of 'strategic uncertainty' for Russia. We have to disappoint him. For us the situation looks more than certain. We also decided a long time ago. If the French enter the conflict zone, they will inevitably become targets for the Russian Armed Forces," she continued.
Zakharova also claimed that the situation at the front for Kiev was a 'stalemate', adding that the West was 'tightening the noose around the neck of the Ukrainian citizens' instead of taking into account their interests.
On May 2, French President Emmanuel Macron was quoted in an interview with The Economist that Europe should not rule out sending troops to Ukraine. He has previously made similar comments, causing friction with NATO allies such as the US and Germany.
Earlier this week, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that the Russian Armed Forces General Staff had started preparing exercises with non-strategic nuclear weapons due to remarks made by politicians from France, the UK and the USA, who 'mentioned the readiness and even the intention to deploy armed forces to Ukraine'.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said during his visit to Kiev that Ukraine had the 'right' to use the weapons provided by London to strike targets inside Russia, while US House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said that if Ukraine was allowed to 'fall', then "there’s a significant likelihood that America will have to get into the conflict – not simply with our money, but with our servicewomen and our servicemen".
On May 7, a petition calling for Ukraine authorities to request NATO troops was also posted to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s website. It requires 25,000 votes to be considered, and had just over 2,400 early on May 9.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova warned that should the French troops enter Ukraine, they 'will inevitably become targets', while speaking at a briefing in Moscow on Wednesday.
"We have commented on the French leader's irresponsible and provocative rhetoric on more than one occasion. Unfortunately, each new statement he makes raises no fewer questions," Zakharova said, discussing Emmanuel Macron's latest comments on sending troops to Ukraine.
"Macron himself explains this rhetoric with a desire to create some kind of 'strategic uncertainty' for Russia. We have to disappoint him. For us the situation looks more than certain. We also decided a long time ago. If the French enter the conflict zone, they will inevitably become targets for the Russian Armed Forces," she continued.
Zakharova also claimed that the situation at the front for Kiev was a 'stalemate', adding that the West was 'tightening the noose around the neck of the Ukrainian citizens' instead of taking into account their interests.
On May 2, French President Emmanuel Macron was quoted in an interview with The Economist that Europe should not rule out sending troops to Ukraine. He has previously made similar comments, causing friction with NATO allies such as the US and Germany.
Earlier this week, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that the Russian Armed Forces General Staff had started preparing exercises with non-strategic nuclear weapons due to remarks made by politicians from France, the UK and the USA, who 'mentioned the readiness and even the intention to deploy armed forces to Ukraine'.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said during his visit to Kiev that Ukraine had the 'right' to use the weapons provided by London to strike targets inside Russia, while US House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said that if Ukraine was allowed to 'fall', then "there’s a significant likelihood that America will have to get into the conflict – not simply with our money, but with our servicewomen and our servicemen".
On May 7, a petition calling for Ukraine authorities to request NATO troops was also posted to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s website. It requires 25,000 votes to be considered, and had just over 2,400 early on May 9.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.