President Vladimir Putin warned that if European powers chose to start a war with Russia, Moscow would respond so decisively that “there would be no one to negotiate with in Europe.
”During a meeting with journalists at the “Russia Calling!” forum in Moscow, President Vladimir Putin warned that although Russia does not seek conflict with Europe, “if Europe suddenly wants to start a war with us and starts it,” Russia is ready and would defeat European powers so completely that “there would be no one to negotiate with in Europe.” He argued that the Ukraine conflict was not a full-scale war and that Russia’s restraint would not apply in a direct confrontation with European states.
Putin accused European governments of blocking U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to negotiate peace by offering proposals “absolutely unacceptable” to Moscow, and said they had removed themselves from peace talks by cutting off contact. He also threatened to cut Ukraine’s access to the sea in retaliation for drone attacks on Russia’s “shadow fleet” in the Black Sea.