Moscow, Sept. 26 -- The Kremlin said it has "no alternative" but to keep fighting in Ukraine, casting the war as a generational duty after United States President Donald Trump abruptly argued that Kyiv can retake all its land. The line, delivered by Dmitry Peskov, appeared designed to flatten any expectation of a negotiated exit and to answer Trump's taunt with a pledge of endurance. As the message ricocheted across European capitals, officials weighed what it means for air defenses, deterrence and the pace of military aid. No choice but war has suddenly become the Kremlin's headline.

Peskov framed Russia's campaign as a security bulwark and a historical project, insisting that strategy would be set in Moscow, not in Washington. He rejec...