Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that “Moscow supports any steps taken to restore relations with European nations; however, should a war break out with Europe, there would be no winner.”
Speaking to journalists on Thursday, following a summit with African leaders, Putin remarked that “Russia is prepared for a potential war with Europe, but it does not desire such a conflict.”
He emphasized, “We support every initiative aimed at restoring full and meaningful relations with European countries.”
Putin added, “We are prepared, but we do not want a war with Europe. If anyone desires war, they should prepare accordingly; yet, thus far, they have failed to achieve their objective of defeating Russia in the strategic arena. Should matters escalate too far, there will be no victor—a fact no one should forget.”
The Russian President also referenced his recent telephone conversations this week with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. He noted that both leaders made the right decision by reaching out to Moscow, even though this move drew criticism from certain European capitals.
Furthermore, Putin stated that “Russia does not wish to see any impediments to navigation in the Baltic Sea.” According to him, restrictions on contact and communication could lead to a situation similar to that observed in the Strait of Hormuz following the onset of tensions between the United States and Iran in February. He asked, “Does anyone want a situation in the Baltic Sea similar to that of the Persian Gulf or the Strait of Hormuz? I don’t know. We do not want that, but we will respond to any challenge.”
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