president of russia Vladimir Putin Russia heightened tensions with Europe on Tuesday and warned that Moscow was prepared to respond if the bloc triggers a war with Russia.

Putin also blasted European leaders, accusing them of undermining U.S.-led efforts to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine.

“But if Europe suddenly wanted to start a war with us and start a war, we would be ready immediately. There is no doubt about that,” Putin reportedly said. Associated Press.

Putin was responding to a question about Russian media reports that Hungary’s foreign minister warned Europe was preparing for war with Russia. Putin has insisted for years that Moscow would not seek war with European countries.

Trump: Europe will ‘bear a huge burden’ in providing security for Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkov and senior adviser Jared Kushner at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, December 2, 2025. (Alexander Kazakov, Reuters)

The Russian president made the remarks after speaking at an investment forum and before meeting in the Kremlin with a U.S. delegation led by special envoy Steve Witkov and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

This is not the first time Putin has warned Europe not to interfere in a war.

In October, Putin warned that Europe would face a “significant reaction” if it continued to send military aid to Ukraine, and he made a similar threat in May.

In February 2024, Putin warned that Western military intervention in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could lead to a nuclear escalation—a statement widely interpreted as a warning to European and Western allies.

Putin claimed on Tuesday that European leaders had made “demands that are absolutely unacceptable to Russia” that effectively “hindered the entire peace process.” He accused them of doing so cynically to accuse Moscow of rejecting peace.

European leaders insist that Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is a stepping stone to a wider war with the 27-nation European Union, which has poured billions of dollars into supporting Kiev.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy Steve Witkov, Senior Advisor Jared Kushner and members of the U.S. delegation at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, December 2, 2025. (Alexander Kazakov, Reuters)

Trump speaks on Ukraine-Russia peace talks, says Zelensky will be involved

Putin said European powers Cut off from Moscow, they have been excluded from Ukraine peace talks.

“They are on the side of war,” Putin said.

He also said the conflict in Ukraine was not an all-out war and described Russia’s actions as “surgical” – a restraint he said would not apply in a direct confrontation with European powers. Reuters.

Putin’s comments came as Vitkov and Kushner urged Ukraine to make peace with Russia.

On Sunday, Vitkov — a central figure in ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas — joined the ranks of the secretaries of state Marco Rubio Kushner meets with Ukrainian negotiators in Florida. Rubio described the meeting as “very productive.” Rubio said in a statement that the goal was “not just to end the war.”

Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that Moscow could reject the White House’s peace framework if it did not abide by the “spirit and letter” of what Trump and Putin agreed at the meeting. Alaska Summit in August. He said the situation would become “fundamentally different” if the “key understanding” was watered down.

In the early morning hours of November 30, 2025, a Russian missile hit a multi-story residential building in Vishgorod, outside Kiev, Ukraine, and firefighters put out the fire. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Click here to download the Fox News app

Despite Lavrov’s comments, Putin shows interest Trump called the drafted plan a starting point in his efforts to end the war.

“We need to sit down and seriously discuss this issue,” Putin told reporters, according to the Associated Press.

He described Trump’s plan as “a set of issues presented for discussion” rather than a draft agreement.

Fox News’ Andrea Margolis, Sarah Tobianski, Kyle Schmidbauer and Ashley Carnahan, as well as The Associated Press and Reuters, contributed to this report.