Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed a foreign policy forum on Thursday, clarifying Moscow's stance on current geopolitical tensions. During his remarks, Putin explicitly denied that Russia harbors plans to launch an offensive against European countries. However, he coupled this denial with a stern warning, asserting that if Russian territory were to be attacked, the state would respond using every weapon available in its arsenal.

Putin utilized the platform to criticize Western and European nations, characterizing their recent actions as escalatory. Specifically, he pointed to ongoing discussions among Western officials regarding the potential for future conflict with Moscow. Furthermore, he cited the conduct of military drills in the Baltic Sea and the seizure of Russian vessels as evidence of increasing hostility toward Russia. These comments follow a broader pattern of warnings issued by Moscow to NATO regarding its regional activities. While the SCMP report outlines Putin’s perspective on these provocations, it does not provide a direct response from NATO or Western officials regarding the specific allegations of vessel seizures or the intent behind their Baltic military exercises.