KEY POINTS
- Putin says Russia is “ready” for war if Europe starts one, accusing EU leaders of blocking US peace efforts.
- He made the remarks before meeting US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow.
- Putin accuses European governments of having “no peaceful agenda” and of siding with war.
- Kremlin says talks will focus on the revised peace plan proposed by the US.
- Kyiv and European leaders fear the plan could force Ukraine to concede territory.
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Tuesday that Russia was “ready” for war if Europe wanted one, accusing European leaders of trying to undermine US efforts to broker a deal to end the nearly four-year conflict in Ukraine.
Putin made the comments shortly before meeting US special presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who arrived in Moscow for high-stakes talks to end the war.
Putin told reporters that Moscow did not intend to go to war with Europe but would respond if provoked.
“We are not planning to go to war with Europe, but if Europe wants to and starts, we are ready right now,” he said.
The Russian President accused European governments of having “no peaceful agenda” and of siding with war.
He claimed they were attempting to sabotage the US-drafted peace plan by pushing changes meant “to completely block the entire peace process and put forward demands that are absolutely unacceptable for Russia”.
Washington initially floated a 28-point plan to end the war. It was later revised after Ukraine and several European capitals rejected it as too accommodating to Moscow’s demands.
European leaders fear the plan risks forcing Kyiv to concede territory.
US envoys begin Moscow talks
Meanwhile, TASS news agency reported that Putin had begun talks with Witkoff and Kushner at the Kremlin. The discussions focus on the US proposals and the broader search for a negotiated settlement.
Kremlin officials said the meeting would last “as long as necessary”. They added that Moscow had been kept informed by Washington of ongoing consultations with Kyiv, but stressed that no draft agreement existed yet—only a “sketch” or “set of questions”.
Trump has said the revised peace plan now contains 22 points and incorporates positions from both Kyiv and Moscow. Only a few unresolved issues remain, he said.
Following talks in southern Florida last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said progress had been made but “much work remained”. He described Washington as “optimistic but realistic”.
Ukraine and Europe voice concerns
The US-Russia meeting comes at a critical moment for Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Ireland on Tuesday seeking to reinforce European support.
He said Moscow’s motivation for the US talks was to ease Western sanctions rather than secure peace.
Zelensky was briefed by Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov, who returned from the Florida talks.
Umerov said “significant progress” had been made but noted that several “challenging” issues remained unresolved.
European officials have warned that any deal must avoid pressuring Ukraine into surrendering territory.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she feared Kyiv could face intense pressure to concede because “that is the easier way to stop this war when Ukraine surrenders”.
French President Emmanuel Macron has also said that the coming days could be “decisive” for both Kyiv and Europe.
Russian gains on the ground
Putin has said repeatedly that any agreement must recognise territory claimed by Moscow.
On Monday, Russian forces said they had seized the eastern town of Pokrovsk, known in Soviet times as Krasnoarmeysk.
Russian commanders reported the capture to Putin while he was dressed in military attire. “We all understand just how important” the city’s fall is, he said.
Russian forces made rapid advances in November, while Kyiv has been shaken by corruption scandals that included the resignation of its chief negotiator, a close aide to Zelensky.
The Moscow meeting follows days of intense shuttle diplomacy, including negotiations in Geneva and Florida.
Washington has said it remains hopeful of ending what it calls Europe’s worst conflict since World War II.
