The Kremlin has sharply criticized NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s proposal to significantly boost the alliance’s air and missile defense capabilities, labeling it as an aggressive and unnecessary move, RKS News reports.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that NATO is no longer an instrument of stability and security, but rather one of confrontation, now openly revealing its true nature.
He added that this decision will burden European taxpayers, who, according to him, will be forced to pay to defend against a “temporary threat” that doesn’t truly exist.
Peskov’s remarks come just ahead of Rutte’s speech in London, where he is expected to call for a substantial increase in defense budgets among NATO member states — specifically, up to 3.5% of GDP for defense spending, plus an additional 1.5% for broader security efforts.
Rutte is also expected to propose a 400% increase in NATO’s air and missile defense capabilities.
