Kremlin describes NATO Chief’s war statement ‘irresponsible’

(MENAFN) The Kremlin on Sunday criticized a recent statement by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte regarding the possibility of a future war with Russia, calling it “irresponsible.”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian journalist Pavel Zarubin in an interview that “Unfortunately, Mr. Rutte, when he makes such irresponsible statements, simply does not understand what he is talking about.” Portions of the interview were shared on Zarubin’s Telegram account.

Rutte, speaking Thursday at a Munich Security Conference event in Berlin, warned that Russia could be capable of attacking NATO within five years and urged member states to increase defense spending and reinforce the alliance’s deterrence. He added, “Russia has brought war back to Europe, and we must be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents or great-grandparents endured.”

Moscow has consistently denied having any aggressive intentions toward NATO or EU members. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized Thursday that Russia is willing to provide written guarantees of such assurances. Peskov also remarked, “Тhis statement is probably from a representative of a generation that has managed to forget what the Second World War was like.”

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