Presidential Executive Office of Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Friday that some European leaders are openly preparing for war with Russia, accusing them of escalating tensions while ignoring their own citizens.
Speaking during a meeting of Russia’s Military-Industrial Commission, Putin claimed that NATO continues to expand and that European governments are using the alleged Russian threat to justify increased military spending and cover up failures in economic and social policy.
“Some European leaders openly say they are preparing for war with Russia,” Putin said, according to Interfax.
Putin also insisted that Moscow has “no aggressive intentions” toward European countries and said Russia remains prepared to restore relations with its European neighbors.
However, he warned that Russia would respond if European governments continue what he described as military preparations against Moscow.
“I have already mentioned some European leaders—to justify their position and extortionate spending on the war in Ukraine, anything goes; everything is used. In particular, one of the main arguments is the alleged threat from Russia. I want to say once again: Russia has no aggressive intentions toward European countries. We simply have no grounds for this. We are ready for cooperation and for restoring relations with our European neighbors,” Putin said at a meeting of the Military-Industrial Commission.
“Nevertheless, we also took note of the fact that another set of exercises was just held in the Baltic Sea. One of the goals was practicing the seizure of civilian vessels. Is this normal? They constantly speak about defending international law, about observing the norms of international law, yet they are preparing to seize civilian ships,” the president noted.
“At the same time, those exact same people express so-called concern and condemn everything happening in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. But what are they doing themselves? What are they preparing for? One just feels like telling them: let us live in peace and friendship, because otherwise, we will have to respond as well. This should be obvious to everyone,” Putin stated.
More from SRNA:
European leaders, with their statements that they are preparing for war with Russia, are attempting to salvage their sharply declining ratings and conceal failures in economic and social policy, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
“However, they are not succeeding, and it is not helping them,” Putin said.
He stressed that Russia has no aggressive intentions and is ready to cooperate and restore relations with Europe.
“Instead of stopping and listening to their citizens, who clearly show in elections that they do not want war with Russia, European leaders continue to further escalate tensions,” Putin said.
According to him, they are using the situation in Ukraine to further escalate the conflict, treating Ukrainians as cannon fodder.
He said the Kyiv regime needs the war in order to remain in power.
“Power in Ukraine has been usurped by a group of embezzlers and corrupt officials who need the war to remain in power without elections,” Putin said at a meeting of the Military-Industrial Commission.
He added that the Kyiv authorities are corrupt to the core.
“The regime in Ukraine cannot defend democracy because it has itself degenerated into a dictatorship,” Putin added.
WATCH:
PUTIN: NATO expanding… European leaders openly declaring that they are preparing for war with Russia
In my opinion, they’re simply trying to save their FALLING ratings pic.twitter.com/5V4xbMcPeZ
— RT (@RT_com) September 18, 2026
The post Putin Warns European Leaders Are Preparing for War With Russia: “We’ll Have to Respond” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
