On Tuesday, the Russian President escalated tensions with Europe, stating that Moscow was ready to respond if the European bloc initiated a conflict with Russia.
Putin also criticized European leaders, alleging they undermined U.S.-led initiatives aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine, now approaching its fourth year.
“However, if Europe unexpectedly decides to engage in war with us and commences hostilities, we are immediately prepared. There is no question about that,” Putin reportedly stated.
These remarks came as Putin addressed inquiries regarding Russian media outlets reporting that Hungary’s foreign minister cautioned Europe was gearing up for war with Russia. Putin reiterated his long-standing assertion that Moscow has no desire for conflict with European countries.
The Russian president delivered these comments subsequent to his address at an investment forum and prior to a meeting at the Kremlin with a U.S. delegation, which included envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, former President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.
This instance marks another occasion where Putin has issued warnings to Europe concerning its involvement in the ongoing conflict.
Last October, Putin cautioned that Europe would encounter a “substantial reaction” should it persist in providing military assistance to Ukraine; comparable threats were also made in May.
In February 2024, Putin had previously stated that Western military involvement opposing Russia’s incursion into Ukraine might lead to nuclear escalation—a declaration largely understood as a caution directed at Europe and its Western allies.
On Tuesday, Putin asserted that European leaders presented “demands utterly unacceptable to Russia,” which he claimed “obstructed the entire peace process.” He further accused them of acting cynically to shift blame onto Moscow for peace rejection.
Conversely, European leaders have consistently argued that Putin’s invasion of Ukraine serves as a precursor to a broader conflict with the 27-member European Union, which has committed billions of dollars in support to Kyiv.
Putin stated that they had excluded themselves from peace negotiations regarding Ukraine by severing communication channels with Moscow.
“They align with the side of war,” Putin declared.
He further implied that the Ukrainian conflict was not a full-scale war, characterizing Russia’s operations as “surgical”—a level of restraint, he noted, that would be absent in a direct military engagement with European nations, according to reports.
Putin’s remarks coincided with ongoing efforts by Witkoff and Kushner to advocate for peace between Ukraine and Russia.
This past Sunday, Witkoff—instrumental in brokering the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas—met with Ukrainian negotiators in Florida alongside Secretary of State and Kushner. Rubio characterized the meeting as “highly productive.” In a statement, Rubio clarified that the objective extends beyond merely “the end of the war.”
Last week, Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s Foreign Minister, cautioned that Moscow might reject the White House’s peace framework if it fails to adhere to the “spirit and letter” of what Trump and Putin had previously agreed upon. He indicated that any dilution of these “key understandings” would lead to a “fundamentally different” situation.
Notwithstanding Lavrov’s remarks, in Trump’s initiative to bring an end to the conflict, the drafted plan was referred to as a preliminary basis.
“We must convene and deliberate on this matter with gravity,” Putin informed reporters, as reported by the AP.
He described Trump’s proposal as “a collection of subjects presented for deliberation,” distinct from a provisional accord.
Andrea Margolis, Sarah Tobianski, Kyle Schmidbauer, and Ashley Carnahan, along with The Associated Press and Reuters, all contributed to this dispatch.