Kremlin's Post-NATO Summit Warnings: Buffer Zone Expansion, Deep Strike Threats, and Trump's No-Fly Surprise

Putin explained the logic bluntly: "The more strikes the enemy will try to inflict on civilian targets in Russia, the greater the security zone will have to be created on the adjacent territory" . The buffer zone is being created "systematically" to the extent needed to ensure Russia's security, Peskov said on July 5 . Reports from December 2025 and early July 2026 indicated that the expansion specifically targets Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv and Sumy regions .

Deep Ukrainian Strikes: Kremlin Says They Prolong the War

When asked about Washington's view that deep Ukrainian strikes into Russian territory could help end the war, the Kremlin was dismissive. Peskov said the United States was "wrong" to think that escalation could pave the way for a peaceful settlement, and warned that such strikes would instead prolong the conflict . Putin, in remarks on July 3, had already framed the logic in circular terms: by striking deep into Russia, Kyiv was "expanding the security zone that will have to be created" .

The Kremlin positions the deep-strike issue as both a tactical and strategic concern: it argues that Ukrainian attacks on Russian infrastructure not only justify further territorial expansion but also make a negotiated settlement more distant .

Reaction to NATO's €70 Billion Pledge: "Confrontational"

The Kremlin did not offer direct commentary on the €70 billion figure itself on July 9. However, on July 7, the day the summit opened, Peskov said Russia would closely follow the summit's outcome and described the statements about Russia that preceded the event as "confrontational" . The summit declaration, adopted on July 8, named Russia as a long-term threat to Euro-Atlantic security and committed allies to sustained military support for Ukraine .

Trump's No-Fly Zone Proposal: Kremlin Says It Means NATO at War

Instead of making the much-anticipated phone call to Putin on July 8, US President Donald Trump proposed closing the skies over Ukraine as part of security guarantees . The move caught Moscow off guard. Peskov said on July 9 that any move to close Ukraine's airspace "would amount to the involvement of NATO military personnel in the conflict" . He added that Moscow had "not previously heard anything like this" from the White House and needed time to "digest" and analyze Trump's unexpected remarks .

The Kremlin downplayed the missed call with a diplomatic shrug: Peskov said Trump was "apparently very busy" with other administrative duties . "No one called yesterday," he said, adding that Putin is "always happy to speak with him" .

Putin's Openness to Dialogue: But Only on His Terms

Despite the warnings, the Kremlin continued to signal openness to talks—within strict parameters. Peskov reiterated on July 4 that Putin is ready to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but only in Moscow . More broadly, the Kremlin has stated repeatedly that Putin is open to talks with "everyone," including European leaders, but insists that Brussels must take the first step and that Moscow will not negotiate under ultimatums .

"Russia remains open to dialogue, and President Putin is willing to engage in negotiations. However, European countries only start moving toward that understanding," Peskov said in late May . The Kremlin has also confirmed that Putin is ready for dialogue with French President Emmanuel Macron without preconditions .

The Missed July 8 Call: What Happened?

On July 6, before the summit, the Kremlin said Putin and Trump had spoken in a weekend call and agreed to talk again "in the near future" . That agreement pointed toward a possible call on July 8. Instead, Trump proposed a no-fly zone—a proposal that the Kremlin had apparently never discussed with Washington. Peskov confirmed the call did not happen and said the Kremlin concluded the US president had other matters to attend to . The scheduled call appears to have been either postponed or effectively replaced by Trump's unorthodox statement.

Summary of Key Demands and Warnings

The Kremlin's post-summit posture can be summarized in six points:

1. Buffer zone expansion is tied to Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory. The more strikes, the larger the buffer zone .
2. Deep Ukrainian strikes are counterproductive and will prolong the war, not end it .
3. NATO's €70 billion pledge was described as "confrontational" .
4. Trump's no-fly proposal amounts to direct NATO involvement in combat .
5. Dialogue is possible but only if Europe takes the first step and negotiates without ultimatums .
6. The Putin-Trump call did not take place as expected; instead, Trump surprised Moscow with the no-fly proposal .