MOSCOW, Oct 3: Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged a forceful reaction to what he calls Europe’s military expansion, dismissing suggestions that Moscow might attack NATO as baseless. Speaking in Sochi, he accused European leaders of dishonesty or incompetence for promoting such claims.
He said Russia was carefully monitoring Europe’s defense push and would respond firmly, Al Jazeera reported.
Germany’s plan to strengthen its army drew specific criticism, with Putin saying Moscow was paying close attention to such declarations. He added that Russia would never display weakness and could not ignore Europe’s decisions to rearm, according to Al Jazeera.
Tensions between Moscow and the European Union have sharply worsened since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. European governments have since bolstered defenses, citing Russian drone flights over Denmark and airspace breaches in Poland and Estonia.
Infographics: Militarization of Asia-Pacific region
Kyiv and its allies claim the actions are deliberate provocations, while Moscow denies wrongdoing and accuses Europe of using “hysteria” to justify increased military spending, as noted by Al Jazeera.
Putin argued that European states bear responsibility for prolonging the war in Ukraine by escalating support for Kyiv. He claimed NATO members are directly involved through intelligence operations and arms deliveries, describing them as participants in combat against Russia, added Al Jazeera.
The Russian leader also praised US President Donald Trump, stating that he had held constructive discussions with him in August during their summit in Alaska.
Putin said Trump showed an ability to listen and had raised the prospect of peace talks and restoring US-Russia relations. Trump has prioritized ending the war since returning to office earlier this year, Al Jazeera said.
Despite the remarks on dialogue, Moscow’s demands remain unchanged: that Ukraine abandon its bid for NATO membership and cede occupied territories. Kyiv and its allies have rejected these terms as unacceptable, according to Al Jazeera.
Putin further warned Ukraine over strikes near the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, suggesting Moscow could retaliate against Ukrainian facilities.
He described it as “idiotic” to accuse Russia of shelling a plant it controls, though he admitted it had been running on emergency power for days. He said the situation was under control but warned Kyiv to consider the risks, according to Al Jazeera.
Al Jazeera concluded that Putin’s remarks underline Russia’s defiance as Europe boosts defence spending, with little sign of movement toward ending the war.
