Putin: NATO Rearmament “Not a Threat” to Russia
In a briefing in St. Petersburg on June 19, President Vladimir Putin dismissed NATO’s recent military expansion as “not a threat” to Russia. The Russian leader emphasized that Moscow remains fully capable of neutralizing any risks posed by increased Western defense spending.
NATO rearmament
Putin remarked, “We do not see any NATO rearmament as a threat to the Russian Federation, because we are self-sufficient in terms of ensuring our own security.” He added that although NATO’s moves “create certain risks,” Russia can handle them, framing the alliance’s push for a 5 percent GDP defense budget as irrational and pointless.
Russia security
The president underlined that Russia continues to modernize its armed forces, maintaining a robust self-defense posture. He accused Western governments of exploiting a fabricated “Russian threat” to justify hefty military budgets, diverting taxpayer funds from domestic needs. He further described the narrative of Russian aggression toward NATO as “nonsense.”
Putin NATO
Putin also challenged historical narratives, stating that tensions stem not from Russia’s annexation of Crimea, but from a perceived Western-engineered coup in Ukraine in 2014. He criticized NATO’s eastward swing as a provocation that erodes mutual trust. While he reiterated readiness to meet with Ukraine’s president under the right terms, he placed primary emphasis on national sovereignty and legal accountability.
