Russia describes Ukraine and Europe as the axis of war and rejects peacekeeping forces
In a new diplomatic escalation reflecting the deep rift between Russia and the West, Moscow launched a scathing attack on Kyiv and its European backers on Thursday, describing their alliance as an “axis of war.” This statement came in response to reports and discussions surrounding the potential deployment of European peacekeeping forces within Ukrainian territory, a move Russia deemed completely unacceptable and a “dangerous and destructive” plan that threatens to widen the conflict.
Russia's stance on European moves
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed in a press statement that her country will not accept any agreement between European countries and Ukraine that involves the deployment of foreign troops under the guise of “peacekeeping.” Zakharova indicated that what she described as the “new militarism” of the so-called “coalition of the willing,” in cooperation with the regime in Kyiv, has effectively transformed these parties into a genuine war axis seeking to perpetuate the conflict rather than resolve it. This Russian stance reflects its extreme sensitivity to any direct Western military presence near its borders, which is one of the key reasons Moscow cited for launching its military operations in February 2022.
Historical context and evolution of the conflict
This exchange of words comes at a time when the Russian-Ukrainian war is taking a dangerous turn. Western support for Kyiv has shifted from providing humanitarian aid and defensive weapons at the beginning of the war to supplying it with advanced offensive weapons, culminating in current discussions about deploying ground troops. Observers believe that Moscow's characterization of this alliance as an "axis of war" indicates a potential Russian counter-military escalation. Moscow considers the direct involvement of NATO or European forces in the fighting to be a transformation of the conflict from a regional dispute into an open international confrontation.
Energy crisis and harsh winter
On the ground, the humanitarian crisis inside Ukraine is worsening as winter intensifies. Ukrainian officials have announced that more than a million families in the Dnipropetrovsk region of central Ukraine are now without heating, water, or electricity, amid plummeting temperatures. This dire crisis is the result of a series of intense Russian airstrikes targeting energy infrastructure overnight.
Ukraine’s national energy company, Ukrenergo, reported that Russian drone attacks caused significant damage to power plants and distribution networks in the southern regions of Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia, resulting in widespread power outages. Targeting energy infrastructure is a recurring Russian tactic aimed at pressuring the Ukrainian leadership and weakening the home front, placing immense burdens on civilians and further complicating the humanitarian and political landscape of the ongoing crisis.
