Putin: Russia Prepared for War if Europe Hinders Ukraine Peace Talks

President Vladimir Putin has declared Russia ‘ready’ for war, issuing a stern warning to European nations against obstructing peace negotiations for the conflict in Ukraine. Putin accused European allies of actively sabotaging US-led initiatives to resolve the nearly four-year-old war, suggesting they are prioritizing continued hostilities over diplomatic solutions. His statements came as a US delegation, including envoy Steve Witkoff and advisor Jared Kushner, arrived in Moscow for crucial discussions. Putin asserted that European leaders are not pursuing a peace agenda, but rather are ‘on the side of the war.’ He claimed that European countries have been modifying peace proposals with ‘unacceptable demands,’ thereby blocking progress and attempting to shift blame to Russia. Despite these strong words, Putin reiterated that Russia has no aggressive intentions towards Europe, stating, ‘We are not planning to go to war with Europe, but if Europe wants to and starts, we are ready right now.’ This comes as the US circulates a revised 28-point peace proposal aimed at ending the conflict, a plan that has already faced criticism from Kyiv and European capitals for not sufficiently addressing Russian demands.