On Wednesday, the Kremlin affirmed that Russia, akin to the United States, is dedicated to bolstering its military capabilities while also pursuing peace. This statement followed remarks made by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to American troops.

During a speech at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, Hegseth gathered numerous high-ranking generals and admirals and emphasized the need for the U.S. to “prepare for war” in order to “secure peace.”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded by stating, “We are also committed to enhancing our armed forces while actively supporting peace and remaining receptive to resolving all disputes, including the crisis in Ukraine, through diplomatic and political channels.”

Peskov noted that the phrase “if you want peace, prepare for war” is widely recognized and often cited by political leaders. He also mentioned that the Kremlin closely observes the comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump.

In his remarks at Quantico, Trump expressed disappointment in Russian President Vladimir Putin for not agreeing to a resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine. “I told [Putin], ‘you don’t look good. You’ve been fighting a war for four years that should have lasted a week. Are you a paper tiger?’” Trump said, echoing sentiments he shared in a social media post on September 22, in which he suggested that Ukraine could reclaim all its occupied lands.

Russia has asserted its intention to continue its military operations in Ukraine and has dismissed Trump’s characterization of the nation as a “paper tiger” with economic struggles.

On Wednesday, Peskov told reporters that talks between Russia and Ukraine have reached an impasse, accusing Kyiv of being slow to resume discussions that were initiated in Istanbul over the summer.

Reporting by AFP contributed to this article.