Russian President Vladimir Putin has ratcheted up tensions with Europe, warning that if the bloc starts a war with Russia, Moscow is ready.

The foreign minister says the EU is downplaying its concerns and over the plan which Belgium sees as "fundamentally wrong".

Putin also claimed that Zelensky’s European allies have pushed for demands that are “absolutely unacceptable."

After being blindsided by President Donald Trump’s 28-point plan last month, some Europeans have expressed extreme disquiet at being apparently sidelined in talks.

Ukrainian and European officials accused Russia of not pursuing "any kind of peace" - but Moscow said it was "not correct" to say Vladimir Putin had rejected a plan to bring an end to the bloodshed.

BRUSSELS - However Donald Trump’s latest push to end the war in Ukraine pans out, Europe fears the prospect of a deal – sooner or later – that will not punish or weaken Russia as its leaders had hoped, placing the continent’s security in greater jeopardy.

Yuri Ushakov said the meeting between Vladimir Putin and Steve Witkoff was "very useful," but that no "compromise option has not yet been found."

European leaders are hoping to bolster the controversial plan, which Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy said was forcing his country to choose between "dignity" and a "key partner."

European leaders were blindsided by President Trump’s 28-point-plan to end the Ukraine war, setting off a dash for influence.

Talks between Russia and the U.S. on ending the nearly four-year war in Ukraine were constructive, but much work remains, Yuri Ushakov, a senior adviser to President Vladimir Putin, told reporters on Wednesday.

Helping Ukraine defeat Russia is a cheaper prospect for Europe than giving into the Kremlin’s concessions, according to a new study titled “Europe’s Choice” out of Norway.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was expected to miss Wednesday's meeting, which will unfold during high-stakes negotiations in Moscow and in Europe about Ukraine's future.