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Lavrov's warning over French instructors in Ukraine
Summary
A look back at a 4 June 2024 Russian warning about foreign military trainers and a Danish decision on F-16 use.
What did Moscow signal about Western military involvement on 4 June 2024? Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that French military instructors would be "legitimate targets" if they were deployed to Ukraine.
The warning came amid a debate over how far Ukraine's partners should go in supporting its defence. Days earlier, on 30 May 2024, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said Denmark had approved Ukrainian airstrikes on Russian territory using Danish-supplied F-16 jets. The statement was made as the 2024 Kharkiv offensive continued.
Two signals, one debate
Taken together, the two statements show the question facing Ukraine's partners: what kind of support to provide, and where to set limits on its use. Denmark's approval concerned how supplied aircraft could be used. Lavrov's warning concerned the possible presence of French trainers on Ukrainian soil.
The 4 June warning placed Russia–NATO relations at the centre of the discussion over military aid to Ukraine, with Moscow stating directly that foreign instructors would be treated as targets.
