NATO's Defense Spending Surge Sparks Kremlin Criticism
The Kremlin has criticized NATO's plan to significantly enhance its air and missile defense, branding the move as confrontational and a burden on European taxpayers. The plan involves increasing defense spending, a move NATO's Secretary General plans to discuss in an upcoming speech in London.
The Kremlin has voiced strong opposition to NATO's ambitious plan to ramp up its air and missile defense capabilities.
According to a statement from Moscow, the initiative is deemed confrontational and presents an undue financial burden on European taxpayers. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is advocating for increased defense spending, urging member nations to raise defense budgets to 3.5% of their GDP, with an additional 1.5% dedicated to broader security efforts.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov criticized the alliance, describing it as a tool for confrontation rather than stability. Peskov emphasized that European taxpayers would bear the cost of addressing a 'non-existent' threat perceived by NATO, allegedly originating from Russia.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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