Defense Minister: NATO Military Expansion Signals Preparation for War With Russia

Speaking at an expanded meeting of the board of the Ministry of Defense, Russia's Defense Minister Andrey Belousov stated that NATO continues to build up coalition forces and pose growing threats to Russia's security. Excerpts from his report were released by the press service of the defense ministry.

Photo: defense.gov by сержант Джон Кросби, https://creativecommons.org/public-domain/pdm/

Рядовой армии США Даррелл Футрелл поднимает 155-мм снаряд

Changing Security Landscape

According to Belousov, an analysis of the military and political environment shows that threats to Russia's military security have changed significantly over the past three years. NATO, he said, is actively preparing to deploy intermediate-range missiles, modernizing its air and missile defense systems, accelerating troop transfers to its eastern flank, and steadily increasing defense expenditures.

The current NATO defense budget stands at approximately $1.6 trillion. With plans to gradually raise military spending to 5 percent of member states' national GDPs, Belousov warned that the alliance's overall budget could grow by more than one and a half times in the coming years.

"All of this indicates that NATO is preparing for a military confrontation with Russia. The alliance's plans envisage readiness for such actions by the 2030s. We are not threatening anyone — we are the ones being threatened,”

In response to these challenges, Belousov said Russia has begun building modern and highly advanced armed forces, placing particular emphasis on the development of its strategic nuclear forces.

Putin Responds to NATO Rhetoric

President Vladimir Putin, commenting on the defense minister's report, said that European countries are deliberately raising what he described as a "hysterical atmosphere” and instilling fears of an inevitable clash with Russia. Moscow has repeatedly stressed that it has no intention of waging war against NATO.

NATO Officials Fuel Debate

In December, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte claimed that Russia could become a threat to the alliance. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed such statements as irresponsible.

Discussions about a potential Russian attack on NATO intensified ahead of the alliance's summit in The Hague in June. Similar warnings were voiced by French Chief of the General Staff Fabien Mandon, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Orbán, however, questioned the logic of such concerns, noting that both NATO and the European Union far surpass Russia in military and economic power. He described fears of a Russian attack on the bloc as unfounded.