Putin warns Russia is prepared in case Europe decides to start a war with them during Ukraine negotiations

Russian President Vladimir Putin intensified tensions with European nations on Tuesday, declaring that Moscow is fully prepared to respond if the European Union initiates a conflict. He also criticized European leaders for undermining U.S.-led attempts to end the nearly four-year-long war in Ukraine.

"If Europe suddenly decides to wage war against us, we are ready immediately. There should be no doubt about that," Putin stated, according to The Associated Press. His remarks came in response to reports from Russian media claiming that Hungarys foreign minister suggested Europe is preparing for a confrontation with Russia.

Putin maintained that Russia does not seek a war with European countries, a stance he has reiterated for years. The comments were made following his speech at an investment forum and just before a Kremlin meeting with a U.S. delegation led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner.

This is not the first time Putin has warned Europe about interfering in the conflict. In October, he threatened a "significant response" if military aid to Ukraine continued, with similar statements made in May. In February 2024, he cautioned that Western military involvement could lead to nuclear escalation.

On Tuesday, Putin accused European leaders of presenting "demands that are entirely unacceptable to Russia," which he said effectively "blocked the entire peace process." He suggested that these actions were deliberately designed to make Moscow appear responsible for rejecting peace.

European leaders have argued that Russias invasion of Ukraine could escalate into a broader conflict, prompting the 27-nation EU to provide substantial support to Kyiv. Putin contended that European powers have excluded themselves from peace discussions by cutting off contact with Moscow, asserting, "They are on the side of war."

Describing Russias operations in Ukraine as "surgical," Putin implied that Moscow has exercised restraint, a policy he claims would change if Europe directly confronted Russia.

Putins statements come as Witkoff and Kushner continue efforts to facilitate peace between Russia and Ukraine. Witkoff, known for his role in brokering the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, recently met with Ukrainian negotiators alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Kushner in Florida. Rubio described the discussions as "very productive," emphasizing the goal of achieving more than just an end to the conflict.

Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned last week that Moscow might reject the White Houses peace framework if it deviates from agreements made by Trump and Putin at the Alaska summit in August. Lavrov indicated that altering these "key understandings" could fundamentally change the situation.

Despite this, Putin expressed interest in Trumps peace proposal, describing it as a starting point for discussion rather than a finalized agreement. "We need to sit down and discuss this seriously," he told reporters, according to AP.

Contributors to this report include Fox News Andrea Margolis, Sarah Tobianski, Kyle Schmidbauer, Ashley Carnahan, along with The Associated Press and Reuters.

Author: Sophia Brooks