Vladimir Putin has said Russia is ready for a war with Europe but warned that "there will be no winners." The remarks were made during a press conference, where the Russian president also revealed he has held conversations with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gar Støre.
Putin welcomes calls from European leaders
Putin said he welcomed the calls as a step in the right direction and explained that the initiative came from the European leaders. He added that Europe has failed to achieve its goal of defeating Russia.
"Many people are constantly talking about preparing for war by 2030. Is this right or wrong? First of all, we are ready, but we don't want any war with Europe," Putin said.
Strategic defeat goal unmet
He added: "And if anyone wants to, let them prepare, but they have not yet achieved their goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia; it is unlikely that this will be possible by 2030."
This is a breaking news story that will be updated as more information becomes available.
