Putin accuses Europe of 'spreading hysteria' as France and Germany warn of possible attack
President Vladimir Putin has criticised European leaders of spreading panic over a possible Russian attack deeper into Europe as France and Germany take steps to prepare for a wider conflict outside of Ukraine.
Listen to this article
During his official visit to China, Putin stated that western countries were being hysterical in their fears of a future Russian attack on European soil.
The Russian leader's comments come as French medical services are being ordered to make preparations for an imminent war in Europe.
It comes just week after US President Donald Trump met with the Russian leader in Alaska to discuss peace in Ukraine.
In a letter dated July 18, the French ministry of health directed regional health authorities to be prepared for a "major engagement by March 2026".
It anticipated the need to care for both French and foreign soldiers in the event of a major conflict, and to be aware of the limitations that come with full scale war.
Germany has also given similar stark warnings, as the chief of defence Carsten Breuer said NATO and the German military will be on alert ahead of upcoming major Russian drills.
Earlier this summer the German military chief said that NATO needed to prepare for a possible attack from Russia within the next four years.
Read More: Xi welcomes ‘old friend’ Putin to China as pair hail ‘unprecedented’ relationship
Read More: Kim Jong-Un to arrive in Beijing for military parade on special armoured train
Later this month Russia will conduct its Zapad (meaning "west" in Russian) military drills. This is one of a set of biannual joint Russia-Belarus military exercises held in September.
When held in Belarus, Zapad exercises often alarm NATO member states due to their proximity to the borders of neighbouring Poland and Lithuania.
In Lithuania, which also shares a border with both Belarus and Russia, the upcoming drills have placed the NATO member state's security forces on high alert, according to the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence.
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland plan to respond to the Russian manoeuvres by holding their own large scale training exercise, featuring around 40,000 troops.
This year's set of exercises, Zapad-2025 (scheduled for 12-16 September), has been downsized and moved further from the border.
Military drills were used in 2022 to mask the buildup of Russian forces before they invaded Ukraine in February of that year.