The spokesperson for the Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov, stated yesterday that European nations are hindering efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian conflict.
He remarked, “The Europeans are obstructing these efforts and placing barriers in their path,” as reported by Russian news agency Sputnik.
Peskov expressed appreciation for former U.S. President Donald Trump’s initiatives to steer the process toward a peaceful outcome, noting, “Trump’s efforts to advance the political process toward a peaceful path are invaluable, and we are grateful for these endeavors.”
He commented on remarks made by European leaders, indicating that the conflicting European parties maintain a predominant stance that shows no sign of decreasing, contrasting sharply with the approaches of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart, Donald Trump.
Peskov pointed out that representatives from European nations have long sought to contain Russia through various means, but Moscow knows how to counter these strategies.
He stated, “They have long set themselves a ‘historical goal’ of containing Russia by every means possible. This is a familiar approach, and we already know how to respond to it.”
Futile Provocation
Peskov clarified that Russia maintains its position and willingness to resolve the conflict in Ukraine through political and diplomatic means.
He noted that European nations are encouraging Kyiv to persist in its obstinacy in a “futile manner.”
He confirmed, “The special military operation will continue as long as Moscow does not observe any reciprocation from Kyiv in its attempts to address the situation through political and diplomatic means.” He added, “We are prepared to resolve the issue through political and diplomatic channels, but so far, we see no response from Kyiv, and we will continue the special military operation.”
In Berlin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that he expects the war in Ukraine to last a long time, as wars typically end in either military defeat or economic exhaustion—neither of which seems imminent for Kyiv or Moscow at this point, in his view.
Merz’s comments come a day before the deadline set by former U.S. President Donald Trump for a meeting between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine aimed at initiating peace talks. Trump threatened “consequences” if the meeting does not take place.
Merz mentioned in an interview with ZDF television, “I am preparing for this war to continue for an extended period.”
Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to launch more attacks deep into Russia in retaliation for drone strikes on electricity facilities in northern and southern Ukraine that left around 60,000 homes and buildings without power.
The Ukrainian Air Force announced that it intercepted 126 out of 142 drones launched by Russia during an aerial attack on northern, southern, and eastern regions of the country overnight.
According to their statement, the assault was repelled. For its part, Interfax news agency reported that the Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have downed 112 Ukrainian drones over the last 24 hours, targeting military-used infrastructure in Ukrainian ports.