'Sending Troops To Ukraine Means War Against Russia': Putin's Stern Warning To Europe

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday issued a stern warning to European leaders, saying any deployment of European troops to Ukraine would amount to “a war against Russia”.

“At the moment, they say they are considering how to send troops onto Ukrainian territory. That means a war against Russia,” Russian news agencies quoted Putin as saying.

Putin said Moscow did not pose a threat to European countries and had no intention of entering into a conflict with them.

“We are not threatening and have no intention of threatening European countries. Why would we?” he said, adding that European leaders were “frightening their populations with an imaginary threat coming from Russia”.

“This threat does not exist and has never existed,” Putin said.

Russia

has repeatedly warned that the deployment of Western troops on Ukrainian territory would cross a major red line. European leaders have discussed possible troop deployments in the event of a future peace settlement, but no such deployment has taken place.

Putin’s Message From Delhi

Putin’s remarks come as he is currently in New Delhi for the BRICS summit, where he has also held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

PM Modi and Putin agreed to deepen their longstanding bilateral ties, while the Russian leader called for BRICS to develop a new platform for global growth independent of Western rules.

Addressing a gathering of BRICS business leaders ahead of the summit on Friday, Putin said Russia was ready to work with partners on infrastructure and logistics projects, including the Arctic Transport Corridor and North-South Transport Corridor, as well as cooperation in technology, artificial intelligence, unmanned transport, finance, tourism and industry.

“We are not against anyone,” the Russian President said. “We are in favour of our interests,” while asserting that BRICS remained open to cooperation with the wider world.

Putin said the proposed NDB-based investment platform would seek to mobilise private-sector funding and make BRICS economies more competitive. He expressed hope that other BRICS members would support the initiative.

The talks come as India seeks to balance its relationships with Russia, the US, Gulf countries, Iran and Israel amid heightened geopolitical tensions and disruptions to trade and shipping.

(With inputs from agencies)