The Russian leader made the threat a day after European leaders said they were willing to deploy forces on the ground to secure an agreement to end the war.

Kyiv sees a well-equipped army as a stronger deterrent to Moscow than any Western pledges to defend it. It is working to attract billions to buy more arms.

PARIS: Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Friday that any Western troops deployed to Ukraine would be a "legitimate" target for Moscow's army, a day after Kyiv's Western…