Putin Blasts Europe: 'Russia Has Never Threatened Europe,' Accuses Governments of 'Scaring Their Own Population'

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused European leaders of fabricating an "imaginary threat" from Russia to scare their own citizens, insisting that Moscow has no intention of threatening European countries. The remarks came during the BRICS summit in New Delhi, as Putin simultaneously warned that any deployment of European troops to Ukraine would mean "war against Russia."

NEW DELHI – The image circulating online is accurate: Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly blasted European leaders, stating that "Russia has never threatened Europe" and accusing them of "scaring their own population" with what he calls a nonexistent threat .

Speaking to reporters at the BRICS summit in New Delhi on Friday, Putin addressed the growing debate among European nations about potentially deploying troops to Ukrainian territory as a peacekeeping force .

"Currently (European leaders) claim that they are considering how to send forces to Ukrainian territory. This means war against Russia," Putin said, according to Russian news agencies .

'This Threat Does Not Exist and Never Has Existed'

Putin dismissed the idea that Russia poses a threat to European countries, calling such claims an "imaginary threat" designed to manipulate public opinion .

"We do not threaten, nor do we intend to threaten, European countries. Why would we? No one even understands that we have no reason to enter into conflict with Europe," Putin said .

He accused European leaders of "scaring their populations with an imaginary threat coming from Russia," adding that "such a threat does not exist and has never existed" .

Russian officials have made similar arguments in the past. In October 2025, State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin accused EU leaders of trying to scare their populations to maintain their own power . Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has also claimed that the EU uses the "fictional Russian threat" as a pretext to divert attention from domestic socio-economic problems, including millions of Europeans who cannot afford adequate heating .

The Context: European Troop Debate

The prospect of European troops being sent to Ukraine has been discussed for several years among European leaders, though it has never been put into practice . Some European leaders have pledged their commitment to a potential peacekeeping force, a prospect Moscow has repeatedly described as unacceptable .

Putin's warning was underscored by recent incidents along Ukraine's borders with Poland and Moldova. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Thursday that two incidents this week were "a preview of potential intensified Russian provocations at Ukraine's border crossing points with Europe" .

Two people died when Russian drones hit the Starokozache border crossing between Ukraine and Moldova on Tuesday night. A "direct threat" to a Polish-Ukrainian crossing point on Wednesday night was avoided thanks to cooperation between Warsaw and Kyiv, Tusk said .

The Bottom Line

Putin's remarks represent a calculated rhetorical strategy: deny any aggressive intent toward Europe while simultaneously issuing a stark warning against military intervention in Ukraine. The Russian president is attempting to drive a wedge between European governments and their publics, arguing that the threat they are being warned about is a fabrication designed to justify increased military spending and continued support for Kyiv.

For European leaders, the challenge is clear: they must convince their populations that the threat is real, even as the Kremlin insists it is not.