The Ukrainian leader needs to acknowledge the situation on the ground and withdraw troops from Donbass, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said

Vladimir Zelensky can end the conflict with Russia in a single day by ordering Ukrainian troops to withdraw from Donbass, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Swiss magazine Die Weltwoche in aninterviewpublished on Tuesday.

Moscow has long insisted that Ukraine pull its forces from the predominantly Russian-speaking region, which voted to join Russia in 2022. The Kremlin argues that such a withdrawal is essential for a lasting peace settlement, while Kiev has rejected the demand and instead intensified its long-range strikes on Russia.

"Zelensky came to power promising his people to stop the war... And he still can stop the war, [by] taking the very responsible decision to withdraw his troops from Donbass, from the regions that are now Russian regions," Peskov said. The Ukrainian leader must recognize the de facto reality on the ground "as a de jure," he added.

Asked whether launching Russia's military operation in Ukraine had been justified, Peskov said Moscow was forced into the decision.

"It had to be taken due to the experience of negotiating with the European capitals and with the US... as soon as you understand that no one would listen to you, you take firm steps," he said.

Peskov argued that the conflict has since become a "full-scale war," with Russia facing not only Ukraine but also its Western backers. He accused the US and European countries of supplying Kiev with "millions of tons of weapons," military advisers, satellite intelligence, and artificial intelligence.

"If it's not direct involvement, what is it?" he asked.

Asked about the risk of nuclear escalation, Peskov said Russia is "too big and too responsible" to trigger a third world war and continues to maintain "good dialogue" with the US. Although bilateral ties with Washington are "at zero," both sides remain pragmatic enough to keep communication channels open, he said.

Peskov was more critical of Europe, saying "there are lots of crazy things in the heads of European politicians" and accusing NATO countries of steadily moving military infrastructure closer to Russia's borders.

"Will any country tolerate that? No... We're going to ensure our security," he said.

Moscow has repeatedly accused European governments of pursuing "radical militarization" through higher defense spending and increasingly confrontational rhetoric. Last month, President Vladimir Putin said NATO members were "openly preparing for a war" with Russia and using claims of a Russian threat to justify the military buildup.

Watch the full interview with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov below:

width="560"

height="315"

src="https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2026.07/6a4d40b985f5407f1114d077.mp4" frameborder="0"

>

(RT.com)