Russian President Vladimir Putin has linked the strong performance of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the recent state election in Saxony-Anhalt to mistakes by Western countries.
Everything currently happening in Europe was the result of systematic mistakes by Western states in politics, security and the economy, Putin said during a meeting with journalists in New Delhi.
He also accused European governments of provoking an open conflict with Russia and unsettling their citizens, suggesting this was reflected in election results in Germany.
The AfD garnered a record 43.8% in the vote on Sunday, falling just short of an absolute majority.
People in European countries understood what was happening, Putin said, adding that he believed this was also behind the results in Germany.
Putin is currently in India for a BRICS summit this weekend.
Kremlin-aligned television correspondent Pavel Zarubin published a video on Telegram in which Putin's remarks could be heard.
The Russian president had been asked to comment on the AfD's result in the Saxony-Anhalt state election. Putin responded at length, setting out his view of the situation in Europe.
Russia did not threaten European countries and had no grounds for a conflict with them, Putin said, arguing that all such issues had been settled by the outcome of World War II.
However, before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Putin had also said that Moscow was not planning a war.
Instead, Putin suggested that the conflict was being driven by European countries.
"Do they want to revise the results of World War II? What are they pushing the people of their countries towards? A war with the Russian Federation?" Putin said.
"They are now talking about considering how they could send troops to Ukrainian territory. That means war with Russia."