Vladimir Putin has warned that deploying troops from European NATO countries to Ukraine would constitute a direct war with Russia, asserting that such actions reflect growing public discontent across the EU with the policies of Western “globalist elites.”

Speaking on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Friday, Putin described Europe’s current political and economic challenges as stemming from “systemic mistakes” by its leaders in foreign policy, security, and economics following the end of the Cold War.

The Russian president argued that these globalist elites have convinced themselves they are “at the top of Olympus” but have accumulated errors “like a snowball.” In security matters, Putin identified NATO’s eastward expansion and Western efforts to integrate Ukraine into the U.S.-led military alliance as root causes of the conflict. He claimed that Western governments are now instilling an imaginary “Russian threat” in their populations while pushing Europe toward direct confrontation.

“We are not threatening and are not going to threaten European countries. Why would we?” Putin stated, but cautioned that plans by several NATO members to deploy forces into Ukrainian territory could escalate to war with Russia.

He added: “They are now talking about how they are considering sending troops into Ukrainian territory. This means war with Russia.”

Moscow has condemned Kiev’s military leadership for exploiting temporary ceasefires to rearm and regroup — actions that undermine diplomatic efforts toward a lasting peace.

Putin argued that European voters increasingly recognize the consequences of these policies, citing the recent landslide victory by the Alternative for Germany party (AfD) in Saxony-Anhalt’s regional election as evidence of growing dissatisfaction with Europe’s leadership.