Speaking to reporters in Moscow on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued one of his bluntest warnings in months, declaring that Russia is “ready” for war if European nations choose confrontation. His remarks came just hours before high-level talks with U.S. envoys tasked with negotiating an end to the nearly four-year conflict in Ukraine.
Putin delivered the comments at the Russia Calling! VTB Investment Forum in Moscow, where he accused European leaders of deliberately obstructing diplomatic progress.
“We are not planning to go to war with Europe, but if Europe wants to and starts, we are ready right now,” Putin told journalists.
“They have no peaceful agenda, they are on the side of war,” he said, repeating his claim that European governments were undermining U.S. attempts to advance peace negotiations.
U.S. Envoys in Moscow for High-Stakes Talks
The Russian president’s remarks coincided with the arrival of Steve Witkoff, a U.S. envoy, and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, who traveled to Moscow to finalize discussions around Washington’s proposed peace roadmap. The visit followed several days of intense diplomatic activity involving Kyiv, European capitals, and the White House.
Putin accused European states of intentionally sabotaging Trump’s latest peace plan even before he had the chance to discuss it directly with American officials.
He claimed that European amendments to the U.S. proposal were designed
“solely at one thing – to completely block the entire peace process and put forward demands that are absolutely unacceptable for Russia.”
The Controversial 28-Point Peace Draft
Washington’s draft peace framework reportedly contains 28 points, originally presented as a fast-track solution to end the war. After criticism from Kyiv and several European governments, the document was revised — but its core outline still faces resistance.
European officials have raised concerns that the proposal leans too closely toward Russian demands, particularly regarding territorial concessions, which they argue would pressure Ukraine into an unfair settlement.
For months, European leaders have reiterated that any peace agreement must protect Ukrainian sovereignty and avoid rewarding aggression. Many believe that Trump’s plan risks stabilizing the conflict at Ukraine’s expense, rather than resolving its core issues.
Moscow Awaits Final Negotiations
Trump’s envoys are now working to secure convergence between Kyiv and Moscow, though both sides appear to remain distant on issues central to ending hostilities. Russia insists that its long-standing demands, including security guarantees and recognition of territorial realities, must be met. Ukraine, meanwhile, maintains that sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable.
Putin’s remarks signal that Moscow intends to enter negotiations from a position of strength — both militarily and diplomatically — while continuing to frame Europe as a barrier to peace negotiations led by Washington.