Russia’s Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, took aim at European countries on Thursday, accusing them of sparing no effort to "encourage the Kiev regime to keep fighting." He said Europe’s support is effectively preventing Kiev from engaging in peace talks.
Peskov argued that without European backing, Kiev would have "pursued negotiations instead of war." His comments came as Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told European leaders in Copenhagen that recent drone incursions signal Russia’s intent to escalate the conflict.
"It was never just about Ukraine," Zelenskyy said. "Russia has always aimed to break the West and Europe." President Vladimir Putin dismissed these accusations, criticizing what he called European "hysteria" over militarisation and insisting that Moscow poses no threat.
Highlighting stalled diplomacy, Peskov noted that U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace initiatives hit a wall due to "European militarism," though he maintained they remain important. He claimed Europe portrays Russia as an "evil force" to justify rising military budgets.
Despite ongoing tensions, Peskov emphasized that Russia remains open to negotiations. He revealed President Putin is ready to meet Trump in Moscow if the U.S. side agrees, while Russia continues its special military operation.
Reference(s):
Russia slams Europe over Ukraine conflict, open to negotiations
cgtn.com
