Nato and the British government have delivered a forceful rebuke to Vladimir Putin after the Russian president declared his country was "ready for war" with Europe. The sharp escalation in rhetoric follows the apparent failure of a high-level US diplomatic mission to Moscow to broker a breakthrough in the Ukraine conflict.
Western Leaders Dismiss 'Kremlin Claptrap'
A spokesperson for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer labelled Putin's inflammatory remarks as nothing more than "Kremlin claptrap". Simultaneously, Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte delivered a staunch defence of the alliance's position. Speaking ahead of a summit in Brussels, Rutte asserted, "Nato is a defensive alliance. But make no mistake, we are ready and willing to do what it takes to protect our one billion people and secure our territory."
He directly challenged Putin's apparent belief that Russia could outlast Western resolve, stating firmly, "Putin believes he can outlast us, but we are not going anywhere." The Russian leader had issued his threat just hours before talks between a US delegation and Russian officials commenced on Tuesday, stating, "We are not planning to go to war with Europe, but if Europe wants to and starts, we are ready right now."
US Peace Efforts Hit a Wall
The diplomatic landscape appears increasingly bleak. Hopes for a US-mediated peace deal have faded after a five-hour meeting in Moscow on Tuesday between Russian officials, President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner ended without agreement. The Kremlin later denied outright rejecting a deal, framing the disagreement as part of a "normal working process".
In a significant setback, a planned meeting between the US delegation and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was cancelled on Wednesday. Witkoff and Kushner returned to Washington instead of travelling to Brussels as scheduled. Despite this, Rutte pointed to President Trump as the pivotal figure, saying, "There is only one person in the whole world who is able to break the deadlock. That is the American president, Donald J Trump."
Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, reported that Witkoff had been in contact after the Moscow talks, describing them as having a "positive outcome" and inviting Ukrainian officials to continue discussions in America. The nature of this positivity remains unclear, given previous accusations that Trump's peace blueprint resembled a "Russian wishlist".
War on the Ground Intensifies Amid Diplomatic Deadlock
As diplomacy stalled, violence surged. Hours after Russia reportedly rejected the proposed deal, it launched a massive aerial assault on Ukraine. The attack involved 430 drones and nearly 20 missiles over five hours, overwhelming Ukrainian air defences. Targets included electrical grids, railway infrastructure, gas-fired power stations, and apartment buildings.
The human and infrastructural cost was severe: at least eight people were killed, and power was cut to half of the capital, Kyiv, for most of the day. In response, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper announced an additional £10 million in aid to help Ukraine repair its energy infrastructure.
Cooper, addressing Nato foreign ministers, accused Putin of escalating the conflict while others sought peace. "Two presidents are seeking peace – President Trump and President Zelensky," she said. "But so far, all we have seen from President Putin is an attempt to escalate war." Meanwhile, the European Commission proposed a plan to raise 90 billion euros for Ukraine, potentially using frozen Russian assets.
The diplomatic impasse compounds challenges for Kyiv, coming shortly after the resignation of President Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, amid a corruption scandal. He has been replaced by former defence minister Rustem Umerov.
