GENEVA, July 7. /TASS/. Europe's counting on Russia's strategic defeat was the greatest mistake in history, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Swiss magazine Die Weltwoche.

He said the West’s efforts made the special military operation a full-scale war, noted that Vladimir Zelensky knows how to end the conflict in Ukraine in one day, and also pointed out that Russia does not need a nuclear escalation and it will never start World War III.

TASS has compiled the key statements of the Kremlin representative.

The conflict in Ukraine

"Zelensky came to power promising his people to stop the war. That was his initial promise. And he still can stop the war, taking a very responsible decision."

This means the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbass and a legal recognition of the prevailing realities: "And the next day the war will be over."

Russia has recently liberated Konstantinovka: "It was prepared to be an untakeable fortress since 2014. And despite that, they managed to take it."

After the liberation of Konstantinovka, the Russian military is "going to take another two important cities. It's Kramatorsk and Slavyansk. After that, the whole territory of the Donetsk Republic will be liberated."

Europe and the United States supply Kiev with weapons, ammunition and military advisers: "They are supplying the Kiev regime with satellite surveillance results. So, they actually give their satellites in a total disposal of the Kiev regime. They target the weapons, Ukrainian weapons, with their satellites. They are using their artificial intelligence, AI. In order to facilitate the military activities of the Kiev regime. If it's not a direct involvement, then what?"

Because of this, the conflict has ceased to be a special military operation: "We have Russia on one side and the Kiev regime plus a number of European countries. And plus the United States that is supplying millions of tons of weapons to Ukraine. What is it? It's not an operation anymore, it's a war. It's a full-scale war."

Zelensky’s legitimacy at the head of Ukraine is under great doubt. Ukrainians should ask "their president, whose legitimacy is now questioned, whether he is really legitimate or not."

Europe's mistake

European countries still believe that they can inflict a strategic defeat on Russia: "This is the greatest mistake ever."

This is because of the EU's position that the Kiev regime is "not so flexible" in choosing political and diplomatic means of settlement.

Among the reasons for the Russophobia of European politicians, "historical traditions, plus history is repeating itself, plus this is kind of revenge that some powers in Europe are trying to take."

Russia is a convenient "threat" that allows European populists to rally the electorate and distract it from the economic crisis: "So you can spend more money, you can close your eyes on certain crisis elements in your economy, blaming everything on Russia."

The image of Russia as an enemy is being imposed on Europeans to justify increased defense spending and continued military support for Ukraine: "Is there an evil better than Russia for Europeans on European soil? No. We are a perfect evil.

"Of course, we would like not to see any situations like in the middle of the 30s of the previous century. But lots of very similar things are happening right now. And what we see, the process of militarized Europe and the process of molding an enemy from us, of course, it disturbs us."

"History, unfortunately, has a bad habit of repeating itself. In a little bit modernized way, but repeating itself. And sometimes farcically."

Russia wants Europe "to get a new generation of wiser politicians" such as French President General Charles de Gaulle (1959-1969) and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl (1982-1998).

European countries should follow four simple tips to stop the escalation of relations with Russia: "Number one, Russia is not a source of danger for Europe. Number two, you have to listen to Russia's concerns."

"Number three, if you neglect Russia's concerns, you will have problems. Number four, try to renew a dialogue with Russians as soon as possible. They are open, they are flexible, and they are ready. It is as simple as that."

Relations with the United States

The relations between Russia and the United States are "not good because they're stuck. They're on a zero level," but Moscow and Washington are "clever enough to talk to each other."

International security

Russia will never start World War III, because it is "too big and too responsible a country."

Russia has never started a world war, if you remember the history: "But when it was started against us, we responded to the end."

Moscow has a nuclear doctrine that clearly spells out the conditions for the use of nuclear weapons: "It's very bold, it's very understandable, and it's very simple. If something endangers the idea of existence of the Russian state, then nuclear weapons will be used. Otherwise, no."