Russian President Vladimir Putin claims that the United States is no longer hiding its plans for war with Russia. Putin specifically called out NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and the European Union, saying its leaders are using “false claims” about the supposed “Russian threat” to justify rampant militarization.

“Now, they are openly saying that they are preparing for war with us, increasing military offensive budgets,” Putin said. He argued that Western governments are using the same playbook that has always been used against Russia. Putin made the remarks Tuesday during a ceremony celebrating graduates of Russia’s military, security, and law enforcement academies.

He added that the West is still using the same playbook that it’s always used to justify war with Russia. The West and the EU are reluctant to strike Russia themselves because “they understand that there will be retaliation.”

“At first, they create threats for our country, force us to take actions necessary for self-defense, and then immediately accuse us of all mortal sins to justify the continuation of their aggressive policy,” he said. Putin also compared these escalation efforts to those of Nazi Germany and other Western countries to label the Soviet Union as the aggressor after Germany launched a surprise invasion in 1941.

Putin also blamed Ukraine’s drone campaign against Russian cities on the West, saying that the strikes on civilian infrastructure are designed “to rock society” rather than achieve military aims. “When the whole West is working for them, with this huge flow of drones, [the aim is] to create doubt in the actions of the Russian Armed Forces,” he said, according to a report by RT. 

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Moscow has long said that it has no plans to attack NATO or the EU, but many nations within the bloc have boosted “defense” budgets, citing the “Russian threat.” NATO’s European members and Canada raised defense spending by 20% in real terms in 2025, reaching a combined $574 billion.

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