Kremlin rebukes NATO chief Rutte over warning of possible war with Russia
Photo: Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov (Getty Images)
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte recently warned that the Alliance could face a war with Russia on a scale comparable to what earlier generations experienced. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded, accusing European countries of forgetting the lessons of World War II and implicitly criticizing the NATO chief, according to Russian media.
Reacting to Rutte's warning, Peskov pointed out that the NATO chief had lived in the Netherlands, a country he claimed was relatively untouched by the major impacts of World War II.
"This is likely a statement from a generation that has already forgotten what World War II was like. Mr. Rutte lived in the Netherlands. I once studied there. The Dutch themselves told me about the terrible trials they endured during the Nazi occupation, how several of their windows were broken, and how frightening it was. This is completely serious. The Dutch strongly dislike Germans for this discomfort, but they do not know what a truly horrific war is," Peskov said.
According to the Kremlin spokesperson, Rutte makes such statements "without understanding what he is talking about."
"We, thank God, grew up in a country that carefully preserves the memory of what happened, the horror it brought, and what we managed to do to save Europe from the Nazis," Peskov added.
Background
Recently, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that, in his view, the Alliance is Russia's next military target. He said he has long stopped understanding what is going on in the mind of Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
"We need to be crystal clear about the threat: we are Russia’s next target, and we are already in harm’s way," he said.
Rutte added that although NATO countries agreed to increase defense spending, it is still insufficient. He said that allies' spending and production must grow rapidly, and armed forces must have everything necessary to ensure the Alliance's security.
About a week ago, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated that the NATO-Russia Council no longer exists. He noted that a new system of European security against Russia is now being established.
