Putin Warns Europe: “If Europe Wants War, Russia Is Ready”

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a clear and blunt warning, stating that if Europe wants war, then Russia is prepared for it.

Speaking to the media ahead of his meeting in Moscow with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Wiktor and President Trump’s son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner, Putin said that Russia has no intention of going to war with Europe, but if Europe seeks conflict, “we are ready.”

Putin accused European nations of trying to sabotage the Ukraine peace negotiations, claiming that Europe does not want the U.S.-proposed peace plan for a Ukraine ceasefire to succeed.

He added that European leaders have previously withdrawn from talks and are now attempting to undermine a potential agreement once again.

Reports indicate that the U.S. delegation held a five-hour meeting with the Russian president in Moscow, during which the Russia–Ukraine ceasefire and the American peace proposal were discussed in detail.

Read more: Putin Backs U.S. Ceasefire Plan, Warns Ukraine of More Territorial Gains

Yuri Ushakov, foreign policy advisor to the Russian president, said that during the recent discussions some points were agreed upon, while others remained unresolved. He noted that overall, the talks were productive.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that the current draft of the peace plan still contains several points that require further work.