UPDATE – Kremlin rejects EU drone accusations, welcomes Trump’s stance on arms control

UPDATE WITH PESKOV’S NEW COMMENTS, CHANGE IN HL/LEDE

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) – Russia considers statements by EU leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, linking unusual drone flights in various parts of Europe to Moscow “baseless and sweeping,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.

“There are many politicians in Europe who are now inclined to blame Russia for everything. They always do so without foundation, indiscriminately. That’s how we view these accusations,” Peskov told reporters, according to Russian state-run Tass news agency.

He emphasized that EU leaders should not link every unusual drone flight to Russia, urging them to “broaden their horizons.”

“The story with these drones is strange, to say the least. But there’s no reason to blame Russia for this. Just today, I read that a local aviation enthusiast was arrested in a European city while testing a drone. The guy has nothing to do with Russia. This is one specific, small, isolated example, but perhaps we need to broaden our horizons,” Peskov said.

In recent days, several European countries have reported unidentified drone flights that prompted temporary airspace closures and security alerts.

Amid these developments, Brussels has advanced an initiative to build a “drone wall” along the EU’s eastern borders, while local media and officials have increasingly connected the incidents to alleged Russian activities.

The Kremlin also welcomed US President Donald Trump’s remarks describing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to extend the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) as “a good idea.”

“We welcome this statement and believe that it provides grounds for optimism in the sense that the United States supports Putin’s initiative,” Peskov said, adding that Moscow had not yet received any official signals from Washington through diplomatic channels.

Trump previously stated that Putin’s offer to maintain START limits for another year after its expiration in February “sounds like a good idea.” Putin announced the proposal during a Sept. 22 meeting of Russia’s Security Council, emphasizing that the measure would only apply if the US reciprocated.

Separately, Peskov dismissed reports that China was providing Russia with satellite guidance for strikes on Ukrainian targets, saying Moscow possesses “all the necessary potential” for its military operation, including space-based capabilities.

“We have our own potential, including space capabilities, to carry out all the tasks facing the special military operation,” he said.

Earlier, Western media cited claims that three Chinese reconnaissance satellites had flown over the Lviv region during Russian strikes, which Beijing denied, stressing its “objective and impartial” stance on the conflict.