On Thursday, President Vladimir Putin declared that Russia has no intention of invading NATO member states. This assertion comes amidst growing international concern over documented and suspected Russian drone flights detected in European airspace, spanning from Poland to Denmark, in recent weeks.
Following these provocative airspace violations, several European leaders have warned that the continent faces its most dangerous period in decades. In response, NATO countries are accelerating efforts to enhance their aerial defense capabilities, convinced that Russia is actively testing their weaknesses.
During an international relations conference held in southwestern Russia, Mr. Putin sharply criticized “European elites,” accusing them of “inciting hysteria” regarding a supposed “Russian threat.”
In televised remarks, he stated, “It appears a war with the Russians is constantly being portrayed as just around the corner; they endlessly repeat this narrative.”
“This is utterly unbelievable,” Putin added. “I urge them to calm down, rest easy, and focus on their own domestic affairs.” He later reiterated that Moscow harbors “no aggressive intentions towards other nations.”
Over three years prior, as Russian forces amassed near Ukraine’s border, Mr. Putin similarly denied any invasion plans. On Thursday, he reversed the narrative, portraying NATO countries as the aggressors and implying that their ongoing support for Kyiv effectively positions the Western alliance in direct conflict with Russia.
Putin’s comments come after weeks of widespread apprehension across Europe, questioning the continent’s readiness for potential escalations in Russian aggression. Tensions dramatically increased following an incursion of over 20 Russian drones across Poland in early September. In an unprecedented move, NATO fighter jets were scrambled and engaged hostile targets within its airspace for the first time ever.
Poland’s leader condemned the drone incursion as a “large-scale provocation,” a dangerous escalation stemming from the ongoing conflict in neighboring Ukraine. The incident prompted a majority of U.N. Security Council members to censure Russia, despite Moscow’s assertion that the drones had strayed into Polish airspace by mistake—a claim swiftly dismissed by European leaders.
Just a week later, Russian fighter jets penetrated Estonian airspace for an unusually prolonged period of 12 minutes. Estonia’s foreign minister described this as an “unprecedentedly brazen” intrusion.
Last week, anxiety extended to Scandinavia as both Denmark and Norway were forced to close airports due to unexplained drone activity. While authorities hinted at Russian involvement in these overflights, Mr. Putin explicitly denied his country’s participation on Thursday.
During the conference, Mr. Putin attempted to downplay Europe’s escalating concerns as baseless. He accused Germany and other nations of heightening conflict risks by “militarizing Europe,” cautioning that if this trajectory persists, Russia would be compelled to deliver a “convincing response.”
With Mr. Putin showing no inclination to de-escalate the conflict in Ukraine, European leaders appear to be abandoning hope for a diplomatic resolution. Former President Trump has also expressed growing exasperation, recently describing Russia’s military efforts in Ukraine as “aimless” and the Russian army as a “paper tiger.”
Despite rebuffing former President Trump’s calls to end the war, Mr. Putin has consistently sought to avoid a direct confrontation with him. On Thursday, the Russian leader refrained from criticizing Trump, instead redirecting his disapproval towards NATO.
“If we are merely a paper tiger, then what does that say about NATO?” Mr. Putin questioned, once more characterizing the Ukrainian conflict as a larger struggle against NATO’s expanding influence.
He concluded, “All NATO members are actively fighting against us, and they no longer bother to conceal it.”