Ryabkov accuses NATO and EU of preparing for war with Russia

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov accused NATO and the EU of effectively directing the conflict in Ukraine and preparing for war against Russia. He made the remarks on 9 November 2026 in a video address to a discussion on the militarisation of Europe held in Vienna under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Russia’s state news agency TASS reported.

Ryabkov accuses the West of involvement in command and preparations for sabotage

Ryabkov said Western countries were not only supplying weapons and military equipment to Kyiv but also taking part in command on the ground, target designation and intelligence support. He also accused them of involvement in preparations for sabotage on Russian territory. These are allegations by the Russian representative, not facts about NATO’s and the EU’s roles established by his statement.

In the same address, the diplomat pointed to what he described as expanding cooperation between the European and Ukrainian defence industries. He listed missile technologies, long-range precision weapons, unmanned and autonomous systems, and artificial intelligence as priorities. Ryabkov also said parts of Ukraine’s defence industry had been relocated to EU countries, without naming specific companies, production volumes or timeframes.

Arms supplies, intelligence support and operational command are distinct military functions. The presence of any one of them does not in itself establish who selects targets and who makes the decisions on a specific strike.

Ryabkov links NATO exercises and Arctic activity to preparations for strikes

According to Ryabkov, at least 120 exercises had been held under NATO auspices, while more than 700 national manoeuvres had taken place in alliance countries. He linked military unpredictability to the severing of direct contacts between the Russian military and those of NATO countries, as well as to exercises whose scenarios he described as anti-Russian.

On the Arctic, the diplomat said the alliance was increasing its military capabilities and activity. He cited Arctic Sentry and Exercise Neptune Strike 26, claiming they involved preparations for strikes on Russian territory.

The number of exercises alone does not establish preparations for an attack. Such an assessment requires information on the forces involved, their deployment, the scale, duration and scenarios. The figures and names cited by Ryabkov do not provide that picture.

Ryabkov denies any intention to attack but warns of a short war

Ryabkov said Russia had no intention, plans or reasons to attack Western countries. He added that Moscow was ready if Europe started a war, and that such a war would be very short, TASS reported. These remarks do not imply a specific military scenario or type of weapon.

In Flank’s assessment, the address is primarily significant in diplomatic terms: Moscow is portraying support for Ukraine, industrial cooperation and allied exercises as elements of a direct confrontation with Russia. The remarks announced no specific new decision on force deployments or changes to combat readiness. The fact that the discussion was held under OSCE auspices does not mean the organisation endorses these allegations.

For Bulgaria, the connection is through its membership of NATO and the EU.