'No intention to attack Europe': Russia rejects fears of military confrontation

Russia has no intention or plans to attack European countries and has no reason to do so, deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Monday, rejecting Western discussions about a possible military conflict between Moscow and Europe. Speaking at a roundtable titled “Militarization of Europe: What Next?”, held under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Ryabkov said Western countries were discussing the prospect of a military confrontation as though it were “almost predetermined and inevitable”. According to a statement published on the Russian foreign ministry's website, Ryabkov said Moscow posed no threat to any country and had no plans to attack anyone in the near, medium or long term. However, he warned that Russia would be “forced to respond” if subjected to aggression.

Russia calls for dialogue with European countries

Ryabkov also accused some European governments of having no genuine intention of ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He said the conflict could have been resolved while taking into account the legitimate interests of all parties, but alleged that the West had pushed Ukraine to abandon reasonable solutions and choose war. On the future of relations between Moscow and European capitals, Ryabkov said Russia believed European countries would sooner or later be willing to resume dialogue on the basis of equality, indivisible security, pragmatism and mutual consideration of interests. He added that long-term stability in Europe could not be achieved without taking into account the interests of Russia and its allies. At the same event, Yulia Zhdanova, head of the Russian delegation to the Vienna Negotiations on Military Security and Arms Control, said European countries had offered their populations no vision of the future beyond the notion that conflict with Russia was inevitable. She also criticised Nato's concept of “escalation management”, describing it as harmful. Zhdanova said it was a mistake to believe that an escalation between Nato and Russia could be kept under control, arguing that the approach encouraged Nato and the European Union to act recklessly rather than reduce military risks.

Russia-Ukraine negotiations set to resume

Ryabkov's remarks came as Russian and Ukrainian officials prepared to hold two days of US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi, their first negotiations since February. European powers, including France, Germany and the European Commission, were also expected to send officials, although Russia has opposed their participation in the negotiations. Ukraine's delegation head Rustem Umerov said on Monday that Kyiv was working to ensure Europe remained part of the diplomatic process. Ukrainian delegates were expected to meet European allies separately to brief them on the discussions. The Russian delegation will again be led by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky. Ryabkov is also part of the team for the first time, alongside senior military officer Yuri Zhigarlovsky. The talks follow recent diplomatic efforts by US President Donald Trump, who has suggested that a broader agreement could end the conflict and potentially address Europe's security. However, Russia has continued to insist that Ukraine surrender the entire eastern region of Donbas before a peace deal, a demand Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected. Zelenskyy said on Monday that Ukraine's recent battlefield performance, including the recapture of some territory in Donetsk, had strengthened its negotiating position. He also urged Washington to persuade Moscow to end the war. The negotiations are taking place amid disagreements over territorial concessions and security guarantees. A senior Ukrainian official told Reuters that Kyiv would not consider giving up territory, adding that the issue could be discussed only at a leaders' level and in the context of appropriate security guarantees.