Kremlin: NATO is Encouraging Ukraine to Continue Its Futile War with Russia

The Kremlin stated on Thursday that the United States, NATO, and some European countries are urging Ukraine to continue what it described as a "futile war" against Russia, accusing them of escalating tensions in recent weeks. Kyiv also claims that Russia is making efforts to undermine its morale and will to fight. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov held some Western countries responsible for stirring tensions in recent weeks by allowing Ukraine to use the weapons they provided to strike targets inside Russia, something the United States has not publicly agreed to do. He told reporters, "NATO member states, particularly the United States and other European countries, have initiated a new round of escalation in the past days and weeks." He added, "They are doing this intentionally. We hear a lot of aggressive statements... They are encouraging Ukraine in every possible way to continue this futile war." He went on to say, "All of this will inevitably have consequences and will ultimately severely harm the interests of those countries that chose to escalate."