Drone attacks on Moscow and Europe's attempts to talk to Russia from a position of strength were the main topics on the agenda of Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov’s daily briefing on Friday.
TASS has compiled the key statements of the Kremlin representative.
About the President's schedule
- Russian President Vladimir Putin will lay a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Soldier on June 22, the anniversary of the start of the Great Patriotic War: "The president will, of course, lay a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Soldier, as has always been done on Memorial Day."
- All Russians remember the anniversary of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War and grieve: "This is the day when, indeed, we remember and grieve. Our whole country does this."
About the drone attacks on Moscow
- The attacks by Ukrainian drones on Moscow continue, but all necessary measures to eliminate the consequences are being taken: "Indeed, drone attacks continue. Appropriate measures are being taken to eliminate the consequences."
- Putin is regularly briefed on all incidents: "As for the president, he receives reports regularly, several times a day and, if necessary, at any time of the day or night."
- Air defense systems, "in spite of everything," demonstrate high performance.
- Russia will continue to strike targets in Ukrainian cities: "These strikes will continue."
- The Kremlin recommended paying attention to the "impressive footage" of the aftermath of the Russian strikes on targets in Ukraine: "Look for more footage from various cities in Ukraine. What’s captured after strikes made by our armed forces is quite impressive."
- Kiev continues to take actions that are not negotiation-oriented: "The Kiev regime continues to take this path, one that’s not aligned with negotiations."
- "The Kiev regime is in a very difficult situation. The situation on the fronts will soon become quite catastrophic for the Ukrainian side. No doubt about it."
On dialogue with Europe
- The European Union is making a mistake by trying to dictate to Russia: "The Europeans have a very big misconception, they assume that negotiations with Russia should be conducted from a position of strength and based on Russia's weakness. This is the biggest mistake, whether it stems from the incompetence of the Europeans, their misinformation or their stupidity - we don't know for sure, but it's a fact."
- Attempts by the European Union to talk to Russia from a position of strength "are a dead-end."
- Putin has many times said that Russia is ready for negotiations with Europe: "The president has repeatedly said that we are ready for negotiations. We were not the initiators of scaling down these contacts to zero."
- Contacts between Russia and Europe are necessary to discuss pressing issues: "The very logic of common sense, of course, dictates the need for these contacts to discuss the huge number of complex issues on the agenda that are a challenge for us."
- The European Union should get acquainted with the real state of affairs in the Ukrainian conflict: "It would be good for them to get acquainted with the real state of affairs, including in the Ukrainian conflict."
"And if there really are forces that will understand the need to resume dialogue with Russia, but not to engage in some kind of moralizing or even try to put forward some kind of ultimatums, but to really start a dialogue, which implies communication from both sides, then, of course, [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin and the Russian side will be open to this."
