Putin says Russia prepared for war if Europe 'wants one'
What's the story
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that his country is "ready" for war if Europe seeks one. He accused European leaders of not having a peaceful agenda. "We are not planning to go to war with Europe, but if Europe wants to and starts, we are ready right now," he said in Moscow, according to AFP. The comments came ahead of a crucial meeting in Moscow with US envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Peace process
Putin accuses Europe of blocking peace process
Putin accused European powers of putting forward proposals that are "absolutely unacceptable" to Moscow. "They have no peaceful agenda, they are on the side of war," he said, adding that European governments were obstructing Washington's attempts to secure a settlement. The Russian leader also said European powers had locked themselves out of peace talks on Ukraine because they had cut off contacts with Russia.
Plan criticism
US peace plan faces criticism from Kyiv and Europe
The United States has proposed a 28-point draft plan to end the conflict, which was later amended after objections from Kyiv and European capitals. Critics argued that the initial version conceded too much to Moscow, especially on territorial issues. The amendments were made in response to concerns that an "unfair peace" should not be imposed on Ukraine, as expressed by Kyiv and European capitals.
Plan concerns
European leaders express concerns over US peace plan
European leaders have repeatedly warned against imposing terms favorable to Russia on Ukraine. They fear that the US peace plan could force Kyiv to concede territory to Moscow. Despite these concerns, the Trump administration continues its efforts to finalize the plan with approval from both Moscow and Kyiv. Putin's remarks came in reply to a question from a reporter about Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto's warning that Europe was preparing for a war against Russia.