The press secretary of the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov, stated that Russia “does not pose a threat to Europe“. However, he issued a threat to European countries if they “ignore Moscow's concerns“. He commented on relations between Russia and the EU in an interview with the Swiss publication Die Weltwoche.
Peskov formulated four conditions for Europe, the implementation of which must stop the escalation. According to him, it is the European countries that are hindering the achievement of peace in Ukraine.
“Everything is quite simple. First, Russia does not pose a threat to Europe. Second, you need to listen to Russia's concerns. Third, if you ignore Russia's concerns, you will have problems. Fourth, try to restore dialogue with Russia as soon as possible. It is open, flexible and ready for it... It's that simple," Vladimir Putin's press secretary said.
In addition, Peskov accused European leaders of populism and Russophobia. He described Europe's reliance on a strategic defeat of Russia as "the biggest mistake in history."
In addition, the Russian president's press secretary spoke about the possibility of using nuclear weapons if there is a "threat to the existence of the Russian state."
Peskov also added that US President Donald Trump "differs from European politicians in that he gives priority to resolving problems through negotiations." He said he hopes that other politicians will come to power in Europe in the future.