In July 1 remarks to the press, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said, according to TASS: “As the European Union develops its defense identity, it has embarked on a path of militarization and committed itself to confrontation with Russia. We certainly cannot ignore that… Europe’s escalation toward Russia is beyond doubt.” TASS added that Peskov said that “the European Union’s escalation toward Russia compels Moscow to plan additional measures to ensure its own security… Russia will guarantee the reliable protection of its security and national interests, and ‘there should be no doubt about that.’”