Russia does not want any war and this is why it proposed holding negotiations on equal security in Europe, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a press conference after talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday, TASS reports.
"Do we want it or not? Of course, not," the Russian leader said in response to a question from Deutsche Welle about whether he ruled out the possibility of a war in Europe. "This is why, we put forward the proposals on the negotiating process that must result in an agreement on ensuring equal security for all states, including our country," Putin emphasized.
Unfortunately, Moscow has not received a substantive and constructive reply to its proposals, the Russian leader said.
Nonetheless, Russia sees in the documents received from the United States and NATO "some elements that can be discussed," Putin pointed out.
"But we are ready to do this only in conjunction with those fundamental issues that are of top priority for us," the Russian leader emphasized.
Moscow expects the dialogue to develop precisely in this way, Putin said.
"Depending on how it will develop, it will be crucial for the situation to develop on all the other tracks that are of your and our concern," the Russian leader stressed.
"And they concern us just in the same way as they concern you, I can assure you," he added.