Russia Denies Any Plan to Attack Europe, Warns of Response

(MENAFN) Russia has no intention, plan or motive to attack any European country, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov declared Monday, pushing back against what he called a drift toward war talk in the West.

Addressing an Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) roundtable titled “Militarization of Europe: What Next?”, Ryabkov said Western governments were treating a military clash on the continent as though it were “almost predetermined and inevitable.”

A release on the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website quoted him as saying Moscow poses no threat to anyone and has no designs on any country in the near, medium or long term. He added that Russia would be “forced to respond” if it faced aggression.

Ryabkov also accused some European governments of having no real desire to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He argued it could have been settled in a way that respected the legitimate interests of every party, but said the West had steered Kyiv away from reasonable solutions and toward war.

Looking ahead, Ryabkov said Moscow expects European states to eventually be ready for dialogue with Russia built on equality, indivisible security, pragmatism and respect for each side’s interests. Lasting stability in Europe, he said, is impossible without accounting for the interests of Russia and its allies.

Yulia Zhdanova, head of the Russian delegation to the Vienna Negotiations on Military Security and Arms Control, also spoke at the event. She said European governments have given their citizens no outlook on the future beyond the idea that a confrontation with Russia cannot be avoided.

Zhdanova denounced NATO’s doctrine of “escalation management” as dangerous, calling it a mistake to think a Russia-NATO escalation could be kept under control. In her view, the concept effectively pushes NATO and the European Union toward reckless behavior and does nothing to lower military risks.

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