Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated at a press conference on Friday that the European Union (EU) is spending heavily to militarize its economies, and he suggested that the union has now become a military-political-economic bloc.
Peskov said, "Huge sums are being spent on the militarization of economies. That is the reality in Europe right now. Of course, we are taking that into account."
The Kremlin spokesman stressed that "a military identity is forming" in the EU and that this is "a completely different reality."
Nord Stream sabotage and Kyiv accusation
Peskov touched on Germany's accusation of a Ukrainian citizen in connection with the sabotage of the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines.
Peskov stated that this development confirms the information Moscow has had from the very beginning, and he reiterated the claim that "Kyiv and the Ukrainian state have been involved in terrorist activities and a terrorist attack on the European Union's critical infrastructure."
The Kremlin spokesman said that EU countries should take the Nord Stream sabotage situation into account when discussing Ukraine's membership and prospects for closer ties with the bloc.
Peskov also described Germany's continued financial support to Kyiv as "paradoxical." He said, "Against this background, the news that the same Germany continues to allocate money to Kyiv's war machine appears extremely paradoxical each time."
Special attention to Kaliningrad
Peskov also mentioned the Kaliningrad region at the press conference, noting that it is constantly on the agenda of the Russian president and government.
Peskov stressed that due to its geographical location, Kaliningrad is "a very important Russian region with a special status." Given its "unfriendly location," he said the region requires special attention from the federal center. He added that work on supplying the region, development programs, and financing is being carried out continuously.
