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Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Moscow is not preparing for war with Europe, rejecting warnings from some European NATO members that Russia could target alliance territory and saying Moscow has neither plans nor a motive to escalate tensions.
Speaking to reporters after the plenary session of the Forum of United Cultures in St. Petersburg, Putin said European governments were portraying Russia as a threat to justify continued support for Ukraine.
"Many in Europe talk about expecting an attack from Russia and therefore believe they must themselves prepare for hostilities, for a war with Russia," Putin said.
"We are not preparing for any military action with Europe," he added. "We have no such plans. And, most importantly, there are no grounds for them."
Several European countries supporting Ukraine have raised concerns about possible Russian attacks on their territory as the war enters its fifth year.
Earlier this month, Germany accused Moscow of planning a drone attack at Leipzig airport in August, while Poland warned that Russia could launch drones and missiles against countries supporting Ukraine.
Putin rejected those claims and accused what he called "aggressive circles" in Europe of using Ukraine as a tool against Russia.
He also said Moscow was aware of what it considers violations of the rights of Russian-speaking populations in the Baltic states but would address the issue through humanitarian and international legal channels.
"We will continue to fight for the rights of our compatriots, but within the framework of international law," Putin said.
Putin said Russia was considering whether to resume direct negotiations with Ukraine following recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory.
He said Moscow had been prepared to consider resuming talks after elections, but accused Ukraine of attacking Moscow and polling stations.
"On proposals to resume negotiations, yes, they are all on the table, and it is all possible -- but after everything they've done, we will give careful thought to what steps we need to take in response," Putin said.
He said Ukrainian attacks had caused casualties and damage to civilian and energy infrastructure, as well as to more than 100 vessels in the Black Sea, including Russian and foreign-flagged ships.
Putin said Russia had repaired the damage and that Moscow's response had been severe enough that Kyiv was now seeking a halt to strikes, including attacks on energy infrastructure.
Putin also welcomed talks between the U.S. and China, saying agreements between the world's two largest economies would have global economic consequences.
He said Russia's economic ties with the U.S. were now "almost zero," while trade with China had reached $240 billion.
Putin said his attendance at the upcoming APEC summit in China had not yet been finalized and would depend on the situation inside Russia.
He said the summit was a significant international event and that he had received an invitation.
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