The EU portrays Moscow as a "model external enemy," but the continent's security architecture is "unthinkable" without Russia, spokesman Dmitry Peskov says

Russia has conveniently been turned into a "model external enemy" by European propaganda seeking to justify the continent's internal problems, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said, arguing that such efforts are unlikely to succeed.

European officials have frequently blamed Moscow for a range of challenges, especially since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Meanwhile, many in the EU have pushed for increased militarization over what they describe as a "Russian threat," including claims that Moscow could attack the EU after the conflict ends. Russia has repeatedly dismissed such claims as "nonsense."

In an interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin for the news agency Vesti released on Sunday, Peskov said Europe is facing a slew of deepening crises: "These are economic crises, existential crises, a security crisis, and, most importantly, a crisis in understanding itself and its core values."

European propaganda has been trying to cast Russia as a convenient "model external enemy" simply because it is "a large and powerful country."

"Will this lead to anything good? Will they be able to shift the blame for everything on us? Unlikely, of course," he said.

Peskov also stressed that Russia is part of Europe, and that the continent's security architecture is "unthinkable" without its participation and without taking its interests into account.

"Unfortunately, the current generation of European politicians is choosing a line of total Russophobia as its primary focus," he said. "Declaring Russia the main threat to Europe's existence is unwise. It's a mistake... "Russia cannot be the main threat to Europe," because as a Eurasian country it is an integral part of Europe, the spokesman said.

On Ukraine, Peskov said Moscow has repeatedly urged Kiev "to muster the will" and make the decisions needed to reach an agreement, but so far without success. He warned that delaying them will only make it worse: "Even more painful decisions will have to be made further on."

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Russia and Ukraine have held several rounds of direct talks, as well as trilateral meetings involving the US over the past year, but the peace process has stalled due to Washington's war on Iran. Reports indicate that territorial disputes remain the main obstacle. Kiev has rejected concessions, while Moscow insists any settlement must include recognition of former Ukrainian regions that voted to join Russia, as well as address NATO expansion and Ukraine's alignment with the West.

Earlier this month, Vladimir Zelensky called on European backers to form a new military bloc involving the EU, UK, Ukraine, Trkiye, and Norway to deter Russia, claiming that such a force could surpass Russia in military strength. Commenting on the remarks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov ridiculed Zelensky's apparent attempt to portray himself as Europe's "defender" and the leader of a new military alliance, warning it "won't end well" and criticizing calls for Ukraine's rapid EU accession under what he described as "an openly Nazi regime."