Putin Warns Europe: Military Deployment in Ukraine Equals War on Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stern warning Friday, stating that any deployment of European forces in Ukraine would be tantamount to declaring war on Russia.

Speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi, Putin said, “European leaders are currently discussing the possibility of sending troops to Ukrainian territory. This effectively means a war against Russia.”

Putin emphasized that Russia poses no threat to European countries and has no intention to do so, asserting that Moscow harbors no reasons for conflict with Europe. He added, “We do not threaten European nations and we do not intend to threaten them.”

He further clarified, “Today, they are frightening their population with a fictitious Russian threat, allegedly stemming from the Soviet era—such a threat does not exist and never did. We are not threatening nor do we intend to pose a threat to European countries. Why would we? No one even thinks of it because we have no reasons for any conflict with Europe. All issues were settled based on the outcomes of World War II.”

Putin asserted that “everything that happened post the Soviet Union’s dissolution was in agreement with the Russian Federation, as the successor of the Soviet Union,” underscoring that any contradiction to these agreements is against Russia’s interests and contradicts the foundational principles of international law and the UN Charter.

He pointed out that “today's European elites are adopting different perspectives, and they are now scaring their populations with an imaginary Russian threat,” affirming, “Such a threat does not exist and never has.”