Putin says Moscow has no intention of threatening Europe, then warns that European troops in Ukraine ‘would mean war with Russia’

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Tuesday that Russia has no intention of threatening European countries, dismissing claims by "European elites" to the contrary. He emphasized that Russia is not threatening any European nations and has no intention of doing so. Putin explained that no one, including those in Europe, considers the possibility of conflict between Russia and Europe because all issues were settled after World War II.

Putin pointed out that Europe, not Russia, is the one seeking to alter the status quo established following the collapse of the Soviet Union. He warned that if European troops were deployed into Ukraine, it would "mean war with Russia." In recent months, there has been growing concern in Europe about the potential for Russia to attack a NATO member state in the country's eastern flank, specifically one of the Baltic states.

The idea of European peacekeepers being stationed in Ukraine was a topic of discussion during peace talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States earlier this year. Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and France had signed a declaration of intent calling for European troops to be placed in Ukraine following a peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow. However, as the peace talks concluded, the proposal for European peacekeepers in Ukraine fell by the wayside.