Putin also warned against restrictions on navigation in the Baltic Sea
The Pentagon declined to comment on the reported exchanges.
The US has urged several NATO allies, including Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, to tone down their public warnings about the threat posed by Russia, cautioning European countries against rhetoric that could further strain relations with Moscow, according to a Reuters report. Four people familiar with the discussions told Reuters that Washington had advised its allies to avoid publicly portraying Moscow as increasingly desperate or cornered as its invasion of Ukraine slows. “Private conversations among allies are just that, so we will not comment on these allegations,” a Pentagon official told Reuters. “We are ready, but we want no war with Europe,” Putin said, adding that countries seeking a confrontation should prepare for one.
The messages, delivered by Pentagon officials during bilateral meetings in recent weeks, reflect the Trump administration’s concern that some European leaders’ statements about Russia could undermine continental security. Among the US officials conveying the message was Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, who is also involved in an ongoing review of American troop levels in Europe. Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued another warning to Europe, declaring that Moscow is prepared for a potential conflict even though it does not want a war. “And if things go too far, there will be no winners at all. Let no one forget that. The two leaders had sought to influence Moscow’s position on the Ukraine conflict, stressing the importance of de-escalation and expressing continued support for Kyiv.
As reported by The Independent, Putin’s remarks followed a phone conversation with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere on Tuesday.