Russian President Vladimir Putin accused European leaders of driving the continent toward conflict, claiming that while Moscow has consistently sought to avoid escalation, European governments persist in stoking tensions.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Putin said that Russia is not the party seeking a clash.
“We don’t intend to go to war with Europe, I’ve said this a hundred times, but if Europe suddenly wants to fight us and does, we are ready right now. There can be no doubt about that,” he said, placing responsibility for rising tensions squarely on the West.
Putin said Russian troops have locked a sizeable Ukrainian contingent in a difficult position near Kupyansk, describing the frontline situation as the result of relentless Western pressure on Kiev to continue a war it cannot win.
“Let me remind you that, on the left bank of the river [in the town of Kupyansk], an enemy group numbering 15 battalions is trapped. And Russian troops have begun eliminating it,” he noted.
He said ongoing battles in Kupyansk-Uzlovoy are moving in Russia’s favor and predicted that the settlement will soon be fully brought under Moscow’s control.
According to Putin, Russian units control both banks of the broader Kupyansk area and hold hundreds of buildings in the settlement.
As European governments ramp up weapons supplies and reject compromise, Russian officials claim EU leaders, not Kiev, are prolonging the war for geopolitical gain, ignoring humanitarian costs.
Putin condemned recent Ukrainian attacks on tankers in the Black Sea, accusing Western backing and labeling the strikes as piracy, particularly in a third country’s exclusive economic zone.
“Attacks on tankers in neutral or even non-neutral waters. But in a special economic zone of another state, a third state, this is piracy. Nothing else,” he said.
He also signaled that Russia might target vessels from countries supporting Ukraine’s maritime operations, suggesting cutting off Ukraine from the sea as a possible response to European-backed naval escalation.
Putin said Russia will widen its strikes on port infrastructure and shipping tied to Ukrainian operations, arguing that Kiev — backed by European governments — has repeatedly targeted Russian ports and supply routes.
Russian officials say many of Ukraine’s naval strikes are coordinated with European advisers and intelligence services, and that Europe’s growing involvement has directly contributed to instability in the Black Sea.
Putin hopes that Russia’s response to piracy by the Ukrainian forces in the Black Sea will force Kiev to consider whether it is worth continuing such actions.
The president also blamed Europe for blocking diplomacy, saying EU governments withdrew from negotiations long before Moscow or Washington.
Putin claimed European governments still pursue Russia’s “strategic defeat,” undermining US efforts to revive dialogue under Trump by blocking peace proposals.
According to Putin, Europe’s goal is to present Moscow as the obstacle to peace despite Europe being the one rejecting realistic terms. “Their goal is to then blame Russia for the curtailing of this peace process. We see this clearly,” he said.
Putin concluded that Europe could return to negotiations only when it abandons ideological hostility and starts recognizing the actual balance of forces on the battlefield.
Source: Al-Ahed English News
