Khaberni - Is Russia really planning to attack Europe, or is the continent's old fears unfounded?
A hypothesis that Russian President Vladimir Putin repeatedly denies, stating that what is promoted about a “European attack” is merely “lies and nonsense”.
In remarks made on Wednesday, Putin said, "People in Europe are indoctrinated with fears of a war with Russia, accusing their leaders of causing hysteria."
He added, "I've said repeatedly: This is a lie.. nonsense.. pure nonsense about the so-called phantom Russian threat to European countries. But this is done deliberately."
Putin continued, saying, "Russia does not seek war with Europe, but it is ready for war if that's the choice of its countries."
Pressure
During the same statements, Putin said Russia would achieve its goals in Ukraine either through diplomatic means or military forces and will seek to extend a "buffer security zone" there.
He added, "First, the goals of the special military operation will undoubtedly be achieved.. And we prefer to do so and deal with the underlying causes of the conflict through diplomacy."
He continued, "If the other side (Ukraine) and its foreign supporters refuse to engage in substantive discussions, Russia will liberate its historical territories through military means.. and will continue to work on the task of creating and expanding a buffer security zone."
Among the Ukrainian regions that Russia claims belong to it, Moscow currently controls the Crimean Peninsula and 90% of the Donbas region, and 75% of the territories of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
In addition, Russia controls some territories in the regions adjacent to Kharkiv, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, and Mykolaiv.
Putin's comments indicated that Moscow would seek to make new gains on some of these fronts.
Push and pull
As the war enters a critical phase at a time when the U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing hard for a quick peace agreement, Putin said, "Russia is advancing on all fronts."
However, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov acknowledged that Ukrainian forces are attempting to regain control of the town of Kupiansk in the northeast of the country, describing the attempt as unsuccessful.
Ukraine announced today that it had taken control of 90% of the town, which Russia said it had captured in November/November last year.
