Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied that Moscow is preparing for a military confrontation with Europe, while warning that Ukraine will face further retaliation for attacks on Russian territory.
Speaking to journalists in St Petersburg on Friday, Putin rejected claims that Russia poses a threat to European countries and said there was no basis for fears of an impending conflict.
“Many in Europe say they expect aggression from the Russian Federation and therefore need to prepare for fighting, for a war with Russia,” Putin said. “But there is no basis for this. I want to emphasise once again that Russia is not preparing for any kind of aggression.”
His remarks came as he expressed conditional openness to resuming negotiations with Ukraine, while also signalling that Moscow was considering its response to recent Ukrainian attacks.
“The proposals are all on the table, and anything is possible,” Putin said, referring to the possibility of renewed talks. However, he added that Russia would carefully consider its next steps following the attacks.
Putin accuses Ukraine of provoking further attacks
Putin accused Ukraine of carrying out attacks on Moscow and polling stations during Russia’s recent parliamentary elections, warning that Kyiv would face consequences. He said Moscow would have to carefully consider its response to the strikes.
Ukrainian forces reportedly targeted facilities linked to Russia’s oil industry and logistics network on the final day of voting. Russian authorities described the incident as the largest drone attack on Moscow to date, although Ukraine did not disclose the number of drones involved.
The attacks have added uncertainty to efforts to resume diplomatic negotiations, with Putin suggesting that Russia’s willingness to return to talks would depend in part on how it responds to the latest developments.
US proposes trilateral talks involving Russia and Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that Washington had proposed a trilateral meeting between the United States, Ukraine and Russia to discuss ending the war, which has now lasted more than four years.
Zelenskyy said Kyiv was waiting for the US to suggest a date for the meeting, with the United Arab Emirates being considered as a possible venue.
The Kremlin also confirmed that discussions about a potential three-way meeting were under way. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the meeting could take place soon, but added that no specific details had been agreed.
The proposed talks would mark a further diplomatic effort to address the conflict, although neither side has announced a confirmed date or finalised arrangements for the meeting.
Ground News
+1
Be First to Comment