Europe’s War Fever Morphing EU Into Military-Political Bloc, Kremlin Warns
French President Emmanuel Macron reviews the troops during a military ceremony during a visit at the Digital Support and Cyber Command (CATNC) of the French Army as part of his New Year address to the Armed Forces, in Cesson-Sevigne, western France, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. 
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Europe is in the grip of a militarization obsession and intends to turn the EU into a military-political bloc, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.
On Europe
French President Emmanuel Macron posted a video online on Tuesday showing a test launch of an M51.3 strategic ballistic missile to convey what he called a «loud and clear message.»
"Europe is obsessed with militarization — with plans to militarize the European Union, an economic bloc, by turning it into a military-political bloc," Peskov told reporters.
The concept of militarizing Europe, rooted in a confrontation with Russia, is a dead end and will lead to nothing good, the spokesman cautioned.
"We and President [of Russia Vladimir Putin] have repeatedly said this, we are taking all necessary measures to ensure our national security at a strategic level," Peskov said, adding that Russia is monitoring the situation with the plans in question to militarize Europe and is always on alert.
Russia is open to dialogue and believes any problems should be resolved through it — not through demonstrative missile launches, he added. The student protests in France are an internal French matter, Peskov said. «This is France’s internal affair. We have our own students… Of course, schoolchildren who burn down their schools, torch trash cans, and cars, and attack police officers, are unruly pupils,» Peskov told reporters.
On Russia-US Contacts
The conversation between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will be promptly coordinated if there is such an initiative, Peskov said.Earlier this week, Trump said that he planned to have a conversation with Putin shortly.»If there is such an initiative, I have no doubt that it will be promptly agreed upon,» Peskov told reporters when asked when the leaders’ conversation might take place.No substantial agreement has yet been reached on the tentative phone conversation, Peskov added.
On India’s Contribution to Ukrainian Settlement
India has expressed its readiness to help settle the conflict in Ukraine, and Moscow is grateful to New Delhi for the initiative, Peskov noted.Earlier in the day, India put forward a three-part plan for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine.
"The Indian side has clearly signaled its readiness to make a feasible contribution to a Ukrainian settlement. We are grateful to our Indian friends for this willingness and their ideas," Peskov told reporters.
On Middle East
Russia has voiced concern over the crisis engulfing Saudi Arabia, emphasizing that turmoil in the Persian Gulf has gone «off the scale,» Peskov said.Earlier this week, Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, said it had struck airports in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, and the southern city of Abha, as well as a Saudi Aramco oil refinery in Jeddah
"The situation is deeply worrying. Tension in the Persian Gulf is already off the scale, and we are watching the developments unfold there with concern," Peskov told reporters.
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