Russian President Vladimir Putin assured on Tuesday that he did not want war with Europe, but that he was "ready" if the Europeans "wanted it and started it"
He made the remarks shortly before meeting US envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow, Belga News Agency reports.
"We have no intention of waging war on Europe, but if Europe wants it and starts it, we are ready right now," Putin told reporters, accusing Europeans of wanting to ‘prevent’ American efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
"The Europeans are upset that they have been left out of the negotiations, but (...) they left themselves out, it was their initiative," the Russian president continued. "They have no peace programme, they are on the side of war," he added, on the sidelines of an economic forum.
He called on European leaders to give up the "illusion" that they can inflict a "strategic defeat on Russia" and to "return to reality, based on the situation on the ground".
Vladimir Putin is meeting with US envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner at the Kremlin on Tuesday afternoon to discuss Washington's plan to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
This plan, presented by Washington two weeks ago, is being negotiated in parallel with the Ukrainians.
Putin also said on Tuesday that Russia would "expand its range of strikes against ships entering Ukrainian ports" after Kyiv attacked two Moscow-linked oil tankers in Turkish territorial waters in the Black Sea.
"We will consider retaliatory measures against ships from countries that are helping Ukraine," Putin said, adding that ‘the most radical measure would be to cut Ukraine off from the sea."
