If Europe wants war, then Russia is ready: Putin
The Russian president says European powers have locked themselves out of peace talks because they have cut off contacts with Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia did not want a war with European powers, but was ready to fight if Europe did want a direct conflict with Moscow.
Putin accused European powers of hindering US President Donald Trump's attempts to end the war in Ukraine by putting forward proposals they knew would be "absolutely unacceptable" to Moscow so they could then accuse Russia of not wanting peace.
He said European powers had locked themselves out of peace talks on Ukraine because they had cut off contacts with Russia.
"They are on the side of war," Putin said of European powers.
'Cut Ukraine off from the sea'
Putin also threatened to sever Ukraine's access to the sea in response to drone attacks on tankers of Russia's "shadow fleet" in the Black Sea.
"The most radical solution is to cut Ukraine off from the sea, then piracy will be impossible in principle," the Russian president said in televised remarks.
He said Russia would intensify strikes on Ukrainian facilities and vessels, and would take measures against tankers of countries that help Ukraine.
On Saturday, a Ukrainian security official said Ukrainian naval drones hit two sanctioned tankers in the Black Sea as they headed to a Russian port to load up with oil destined for foreign markets.