Updated: 28 June 2025 la 12:53. Articolul a fost revizuit pentru a reflecta informațiile disponibile la această dată.
In a speech in London, Mark Rutte, NATO secretary-general, called on member states to increase their air and missile defence capabilities by 400%, arguing that Russia is producing ammunition and military equipment at an alarming rate.
The Kremlin’s response: an “instrument of aggression and confrontation”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described Rutte’s initiative as NATO’s “mask slipping”, portraying the organisation as an instrument of aggression and confrontation. He criticised the plan over the potential additional costs it could impose on European taxpayers.
Furthermore, the Kremlin said that Russia’s military mobilisation in the Dnipropetrovsk region was a defensive response intended to create a “buffer zone”.
Moscow’s arguments
- NATO is an aggressive entity: The Kremlin accuses the alliance of demonstrating its confrontational nature through its calls for rearmament.
- Financial burden: Peskov says the measure will negatively affect European economies and taxpayers’ incomes.
- Legitimate defensive response: Russia justifies its military concentration in Ukraine as necessary to protect national security.
Geopolitical implications
- The spiral of militarisation: The call to strengthen air defence is a clear signal of Europe’s rearmament course in the face of Russian threats.
- Tensions between Russia and NATO: The Kremlin challenges the legitimacy of NATO’s actions, accusing the alliance of provoking instability and undermining regional stability.
Conclusion
The Kremlin’s response, voiced by Peskov, reflects clear hostility towards stronger NATO defences. By calling the organisation an “instrument of aggression”, Moscow accuses the alliance of military escalation and of having a negative impact on European citizens. It remains to be seen whether Rutte’s call to reinforce defences will intensify the confrontation between the sides.
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