Russia Says US Is Wrong to See Strikes as Path to Peace

The Kremlin said on Thursday that the United States was mistaken if it believed Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russian territory would help bring an end to the war, now in its fifth year.

Speaking at the NATO summit in Turkey, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Russia was finding it increasingly difficult to defend its own skies and expressed hope that this would create more space for negotiations. US President Donald Trump said the escalation could also help bring the war to an end.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected that assessment, warning that further escalation would only prolong the war and force Moscow to establish an even larger security buffer zone.

According to sources close to the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to reject calls for peace talks with Kyiv. They said recent Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries and ports had strengthened his resolve to continue the war and increased the risk of further escalation in the coming months.

Peskov told reporters the Kremlin harbored no illusions about Trump's decision to grant Kyiv a license to manufacture Patriot interceptors under license. At the same time, he said Moscow saw a contrast in Washington's position, arguing that, unlike Europe, the United States was making a genuine effort to advance the peace process.

Although Washington's diplomatic efforts have stalled because of the conflict with Iran, Moscow hopes American mediation will resume once the crisis in the Middle East is resolved.

(Reuters, Max)