Putin pushes China energy ties while reiterating NATO expansion as war trigger
Vladivostok
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday declared that any Western troops deployed to Ukraine would be regarded as “legitimate targets” for Russian forces. His remarks came a day after French President Emmanuel Macron announced that 26 countries had pledged to provide postwar security guarantees to Ukraine, including potential international military forces on land, sea, and in the air.
Speaking at an economic forum in Vladivostok, Mr. Putin reiterated Moscow’s long-standing position that preventing NATO’s expansion into Ukraine was a central reason for launching the war. “If some troops appear there, especially now during military operations, we proceed from the fact that these will be legitimate targets for destruction,” he said. He added that if genuine peace were achieved, there would be no justification for their presence.
Alongside his warning, Mr. Putin discussed energy cooperation with China, emphasizing the planned Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline. He described it as a “mutually beneficial project,” confirming that gas pricing would be based on a market-driven formula similar to Europe’s. The 3,968-km pipeline, which will pass through Mongolia, is expected to start operations by 2030, with Gazprom yet to finalize pricing details. Mongolian Prime Minister Zandanshatar Gombojav said his country was prepared to support the project and may purchase Russian gas. With Europe drastically reducing reliance on Russian energy since the 2022 invasion, Moscow has increasingly turned to Beijing. Putin highlighted the pipeline as one of the world’s largest energy ventures, signaling deeper Russia-China cooperation amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.