Putin’s Remarks on Readiness and Diplomatic Intent
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Thursday that his country is prepared for war with Europe if tensions escalate, but insisted Moscow has no intention of starting such a conflict. The remarks were made during a news conference following the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow.
According to Reuters, Putin stated, “We are ready to fight a war with Europe, but we do not want it. If there is anyone who wants it, they should be ready.”
The president also addressed the long-term strategic outlook regarding conflicts with Western nations. He claimed that adversaries have yet to achieve their goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia and doubted this could be achieved by 2030.
“If things go too far, nobody will win. Never forget that,” Putin said during the conference.
European Defence Posture and Regional Tensions
Putin’s comments come amid heightened defence readiness in Europe and growing concerns over a possible military confrontation between Moscow and members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato).
British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting had earlier warned that Britain must prepare for the possibility of war within approximately 1,000 days. Streeting noted that military capabilities could enable an attack by 2030.
Tensions have also been evident in the Baltic Sea region. Germany has raised its alert level over sabotage threats linked to incidents suspected to have connections to Russia, though Moscow has denied involvement in these incidents.
Putin warned against tensions in the Baltic Sea escalating into a crisis similar to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. He stated that Russia did not want shipping routes disrupted but would respond to security challenges.
Signals on Restoring Relations
Despite the warnings regarding military readiness, Putin expressed support for restoring diplomatic relations with European countries following telephone conversations with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.
“We support any action aimed at fully restoring relations with European countries,” Putin stated.