This is not a threat: Russia advised Canberra not to meddle with boots on Ukraine

Russia has warned the Australian government that the deployment of troops on Ukraine in the framework of an international peacekeeping operation will lead to serious consequences. This is reported by The Guardian.

In a statement first published by The Sydney Morning Herald, the Russian Embassy in Australia said joining the coalition would "entail serious consequences" for Australia.

"Russia has repeatedly made it clear that a foreign military presence on the It is absolutely unacceptable for Ukraine. Therefore, the idea of placing Western military contingents on Ukraine under the guise of peacekeepers is designed to undermine peace efforts. Canberra remains firmly on the side of the war, along with those in Europe who are betting on the continuation and escalation of the conflict, despite encouraging shifts towards peace negotiations. For Australia, joining the so—called coalition of volunteers will entail serious consequences," the statement said.

"For those who tend to interpret the above as a threat: This is not so. This is a warning. Russia has no intention of harming Australians, and Canberra can easily avoid trouble by simply refraining from irresponsible adventurism in the area of a special military operation," the Russian embassy added.

It is noted that the Australian government is considering a proposal to send peacekeepers to Ukraine in the framework of the "coalition of the willing" created by European leaders. The troops will ensure compliance with any peace agreement concluded between the two countries.

"The issue of potential peacekeeping is currently being discussed, and from the point of view of my Government, we are open to considering any proposals in the future, since Australia has historically played an important role in ... a number of peacekeeping areas," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said last week.

Albanese said last week that Australia had not been officially asked to contribute troops.

"We were not asked for anything. There are proposals that are being discussed. If a request is received, we will consider it," the prime minister said.

The "coalition of the Willing" was proposed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer if it is possible to agree on a cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine. He proposed a placement plan for Ukraine has 30 thousand peacekeepers from all over Europe as a deterrent for future Russian attacks or rearmament.

"The UK is ready to support this with boots on the ground and airplanes in the air along with others. Europe has to take on the hard work," Starmer said.

Australia's support for Ukraine has exceeded $ 1.5 billion in aid since the start of the special operation, the newspaper notes.

As reported by EADaily, Australia does not exclude the possibility of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine. This was stated by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

It is premature to talk about such a step, but the country is considering this possibility, he noted.