Russia's former President has warned that any European peacekeepers sent to Ukraine would return in coffins. Dmitry Medvedev issued the warning after US officials met with a coalition of European leaders in Paris to discuss security in Ukraine.

The close ally of President Vladimir Putin, who is now the deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia, said the group were a "fascist clique" who met to discuss the number of coffins they could accept. He wrote on X: "Apparently, the top of Ukraine's fascist clique have come to Paris for talks with the U.K., Germany and France on how many European coffins they will be ready to accept after the deployment of the troops of the 'coalition of the willing' in Ukraine."

European officials, including French President Emmanuel Macron and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, were joined in Paris by a Ukrainian delegation, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff.

The 'coalition of the willing', led by Britain and France, consists of around 30 countries that aim to create a reassurance force for Ukraine to deter potential Russian aggression.

A senior British government source told The Times in March that more than 10,000 troops could be deployed to Ukraine to monitor a possible ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv.

UK Defense Minister John Healy clarified on April 10 that troops would not act as traditional peacekeepers, but as a support to Ukraine's forces.

Russia has denied the entry of any outsider troops, while French President Emmanuel Macron said last month that Kyiv does not require Moscow's approval.

"Ukraine is sovereign—if it requests allied forces to be on its territory, it is not up to Russia to accept or reject it," Macron told French newspaper Le Parisien on March 15.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said it would be "absurd" to deploy troops, adding they would experience "all the consequences" of a conflict zone.

He told Russian newspaper Izvestia in March: "We absolutely do not care under what label NATO contingents can be deployed on the territory of Ukraine: be it the European Union, NATO, or in their national capacity.

"In any case, if they appear there, it means that they are deployed in a conflict zone with all the consequences for these contingents as parties to the conflict."