Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that any deployment of European troops on Ukrainian territory would be considered by Moscow as a “war against Russia.” Speaking on Tuesday, Putin referred to discussions by European leaders about the possibility of sending military forces to Ukraine, calling such a scenario a direct escalation of the conflict.

"At the moment, they are saying that they are considering the way to send troops to Ukrainian territory. This would mean a war against Russia," Putin said, according to Russian news agencies. However, the Russian president stressed that Moscow has no intention of threatening European countries. "We do not threaten and do not intend to threaten European countries. Why should we do this? No one understands that we have no reason to clash with Europe," he said.

Putin also accused European leaders of trying to intimidate their citizens by using what he called an “imaginary threat” from Russia. “This threat does not exist and has never existed,” the Russian president said. Moscow has long considered the sending of Western troops to Ukraine a red line. The idea of ​​a possible European military presence in Ukraine has been periodically discussed by European leaders, especially in the context of scenarios for ensuring Ukraine’s security, but so far it has not taken the form of a direct deployment of European forces on the ground.

Putin's latest statements come at a time when discussions about Europe's role in Ukraine's security and the future of the conflict continue to remain one of the most sensitive issues in relations between Moscow and the West.