Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has claimed that the potential deployment of European troops in Ukraine would mean NATO's official and direct involvement in the war. Notably, the Russian propaganda machine has been claiming for three years that Moscow is at war with the "West" and NATO on the battlefield in Ukraine.

On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Moscow would consider the deployment of European peacekeepers to Ukraine as NATO’s official involvement in the war against Russia, according to Al Jazeera.

A huge Russian missile attack on Ukraine's gas and energy facilities has triggered NATO planes to scramble in Poland

Former president of the European Commission Jean Claude Juncker cautioned against Ukraine joining Nato as a form of security guarantee. Talking to Euronews for The Europe Conversation, he also said that Ukraine should be granted limited EU membership.

Russia has warned the UK it will view the deployment of British and European troops in Ukraine as a declaration of war against Moscow. The dire warning comes amid a flurry of diplomatic activity by European leaders as they scramble to increase military aid to Ukraine and boost general defence spending.

Lavrov claimed that such a deployment would mean “direct, official, unconcealed involvement of NATO countries in a war against Russia.” “This cannot be allowed,” he stressed. Read also: Australia open to peacekeeping mission in Ukraine Potential NATO troop deployment to Ukraine The Wall Street Journal reported on Feb.