President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia has no grounds for conflict with Europe, as all issues were resolved after World War II. However, he pointed out that the deployment of European troops to Ukraine would signify a war with Russia.
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In Moscow's statement, European military presence in Ukraine is distinguished from other forms of support: it is the dispatch of troops that is interpreted as direct participation of European states in a war with Russia. The background to this formulation dates back to February 2024, when, following Emmanuel Macron's remarks about the possibility of deploying European troops, Italy, Poland, Sweden, Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and the UK stated that they did not intend to send their troops.
In December 2025, Vladimir Putin said that European countries themselves had ceased contacts with Russia on the Ukrainian issue, advocated for its "strategic defeat," and put forward demands unacceptable to Moscow. At the same time, he allowed for Europe's return to negotiations, provided that the realities on the ground were taken into account, thus separating the political participation of European countries from their potential direct military presence.
