ANTALYA, Türkiye, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday said the French president didn't misspeak over the possibility of NATO sending troops to Ukraine, noting that the troops were already there unofficially.

"I don't think he misspoke," Lavrov said at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, in response to the disputed remarks of Emmanuel Macron on Monday, in which he said "everything that is necessary" must be done to ensure the defeat of Russia, including deploying troops.

The Russian foreign minister said that Russia has evidence of the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine. He cited Ukraine's utilization of long-range weapons, which he claimed the country lacks the capability to operate, as an example.

Macron's remarks have been rejected by several NATO countries, who said that they had no plans to send troops to Ukraine to fight against Russia.