RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin has warned that his country is prepared for war with Europe if tensions escalate, but insisted Moscow has no intention of starting such a conflict.
According to Reuters, Putin made the remarks at a news conference following the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow on Thursday, amid mounting concerns over the possibility of a military confrontation between Russia and members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato).
“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.
“However, they have yet to achieve their goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia. I do not think this can be achieved by 2030.
“If things go too far, nobody will win. Never forget that,” he said.
Putin's remarks come as European countries strengthen their defence preparedness amid concerns over security threats linked to Russia.
British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting had earlier warned that Britain must prepare for the possibility of war within approximately 1,000 days.
He said the military capabilities and wartime economic capacity of countries considered adversaries could enable an attack by 2030, stressing the need to strengthen defence preparations alongside allies.
Tensions have also risen following several security incidents across Europe, including drone incursions into airspace and alleged sabotage targeting military facilities.
Germany has previously raised its alert level over sabotage threats following several incidents suspected to have links to Russia.
Moscow, however, has denied involvement in several of the incidents.
In a separate development, Putin expressed support for efforts to restore diplomatic relations with European countries following telephone conversations with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.
He said Russia was open to initiatives aimed at restoring bilateral relations and cooperation with European nations.
“We support any action aimed at fully restoring relations with European countries,” he said.
Putin also warned against tensions in the Baltic Sea escalating into a crisis similar to the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz following the West Asian conflict.
He said Russia did not want shipping routes in the Baltic Sea disrupted but would respond to any security challenges.
The remarks come as relations between Russia and Western countries remain strained over the war in Ukraine and concerns about a wider conflict in Europe. - October 31, 2026
