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‘Hysteria’: Putin slams NATO chief's ‘prepare for a war our grandparents endured’ remark
Putin's remarks come even as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that a proposal is being negotiated with US for a deal to end the war in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday slammed what he said were calls in the West to prepare for a “major war” with Russia, describing it a 'hysteria' and 'a lie'.
Putin was responding to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's remarks in Berlin last week, where he said that the military bloc should be "prepared for the scale of war our grandparents or great-grandparents endured".
The Russian President said the people in Europe were being indoctrinated with fears of a war with Russia and accused the Western leaders of whipping up hysteria, Reuters reported on Wednesday.
"I have repeatedly stated: this is a lie, nonsense, pure nonsense about some imaginary Russian threat to European countries. But this is being done quite deliberately," he said.
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In a speech in Berlin, NATO Secretary Rutte said many allies of the alliance did not feel the urgency of Russia's threat in Europe and urged them to rapidly increase defence spending and production to prevent a future war.
"We are Russia's next target. I fear that too many are quietly complacent. Too many don't feel the urgency. And too many believe that time is on our side. It is not. The time for action is now," Rutte said.
"Conflict is at our door. Russia has brought war back to Europe. And we must be prepared," he added.
Putin warns Ukraine
Russian President Putin also lashed out at Ukraine and the West, saying if they abandon the peace talks, then Russia will take the lands it claims in Ukraine through military means, Reuters reported.
"The goals of the special military operation will certainly be achieved," Putin said during a meeting with defence ministry officials in Moscow, referring to the war in Ukraine.
"We would prefer to do this and eliminate the root causes of the conflict through diplomacy," he said, warning of annexation of Ukrainian lands "by military means" if "the opposing country and its foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive discussions."
Putin's remarks come even as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that a proposal is being negotiated with US for a deal to end the 4-year-old war in Ukraine.
Kyiv is under pressure to make territorial concessions with US President Donald Trump pushing an early end to the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two.
Meanwhile, Russia, which claims to control over 19% of Ukraine, has ruled out withdrawing from territory it has seized and wants Ukraine to leave the remaining part of the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, controlled by Kyiv.
