Yulia Zdanova, head of the Russian delegation in Vienna on military security and arms control, stated that Western elites have left no choice for the peoples of Europe, and the situation is heading towards a large-scale armed conflict.

Zdanova said at the 1116th plenary session of the OSCE Forum on Security Cooperation: “It seems there is no longer any option available to the peoples of Europe but to prepare for a large-scale armed conflict. Things are heading in that direction unless the Western elites stop and reconsider their policies and ideological directions.”

In the same context, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán earlier stated that most European Union countries support Budapest’s position behind closed doors that Europe may slip into war.

Orbán said: “Based on closed-door discussions, I can say that more countries share Hungary’s view: We will slip into war sooner or later, and our youth will return home in coffins. This danger is increasing.”

He continued: “Every day we burn hundreds of millions of euros, eventually billions, and there is a constant risk that Europeans are dragging us deeper and deeper into this war, and eventually those who want to send soldiers will appear. They will ask, if this is our war, then why don’t we fight?”

It is worth noting that some European countries were exploring different scenarios for deploying Western forces in Ukraine after a ceasefire.

As President Vladimir Putin pointed out, if an agreement is reached to achieve sustainable peace, there will be no reason for foreign military presence in Ukraine, and if they appear there nonetheless, the Russian army will consider them legitimate targets.

The Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that any option to deploy NATO forces in Ukraine is categorically unacceptable to Moscow and carries the risk of severe escalation. It also described statements on this matter as incitement to continue hostilities.