Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued one of his starkest warnings to date, declaring that Moscow is prepared to enter a war with Europe if provoked, comments that arrive over an intense wave of diplomatic activity aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine.
Speaking on Tuesday at the plenary session of the VTB Russia Calling Investment Forum in Moscow, Putin insisted that Russia is not seeking a confrontation with Europe but would respond decisively if challenged.
“We are not planning to go to war with Europe. But if Europe wants to and starts, we are ready right now,” Putin said. “They are on the side of war.”
The Russian leader accused European governments of putting forward peace terms for Ukraine that Moscow finds “absolutely unacceptable,” arguing that European involvement is obstructing momentum toward a negotiated settlement.
Read Also:
Tinubu departs Abuja for working vacation in Europe
Kremlin proposes ‘Putin–Trump unity tunnel’ to link Russia, United States
Putin further suggested that some European powers are undermining U.S. President Donald Trump’s attempts to broker a peace deal, claiming their actions are designed to portray Russia as unwilling to compromise. By cutting off diplomatic channels with Moscow, he added, Europe has effectively excluded itself from meaningful peace talks.
High-Level U.S. Delegation Arrives in Moscow
Putin’s remarks come just hours before expected talks with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Witkoff arrived in Moscow earlier in the day to negotiate key provisions of a potential peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine.
The visit marks the latest in a whirlwind of diplomatic contacts over the past two weeks involving officials from the United States, Ukraine, Russia, and several European nations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Tuesday that Ukraine and the United States have agreed on a revised 20-point peace roadmap, narrowing down the original 28-point proposal Washington presented last month.
“Some things still need to be worked out,” Zelensky told reporters during a visit to Dublin, describing the moment as “one of the most challenging and yet optimistic” for peace since the war began.
In a post on X, Zelensky confirmed that Europe’s counter-proposal to Trump’s initiative has now been refined based on the Geneva framework. He urged for deeper European participation:
“Our diplomats are actively working with all partners to ensure that European countries and other participants in the Coalition of the Willing are meaningfully involved in developing decisions.”
Even as diplomatic channels expand, fighting on the battlefield continues to escalate. Russia has claimed control of the key strategic city of Pokrovsk, though Ukraine has firmly rejected the assertion, saying combat operations in and around the city are ongoing.
