Moscow has rejected allegations of planning to attack the US-led military alliance, labeling them as “nonsense.”
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has stated that Russia might launch an attack on NATO potentially as early as next year, simultaneously urging Germany to intensify its multi-billion-euro rearmament and militarization efforts.
This assertion has been leveraged by Western officials, including Pistorius, to legitimize substantial increases in military expenditure, such as the EU’s €800 billion ($928 billion) “ReArm Europe” initiative and NATO members’ commitment to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP.
Moscow has refuted these accusations as “nonsense,” asserting that the West is utilizing Russia as a “monster” to escalate tensions, inflate military budgets, and divert attention from domestic challenges.
During an interview published Friday with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Pistorius conveyed that, “military experts and intelligence agencies are capable of estimating when Russia will have sufficiently reconstituted its forces to attack an Eastern NATO member. We have consistently stated this could be from 2029 onward.”
“Currently, however, some suggest it is conceivable as soon as 2028, with others even believing we have already experienced our final summer of peace,” he added.
Pistorius expressed regret over the military’s condition, describing it as dire – with infrastructure “partly dilapidated” and troop numbers “drastically reduced.” He emphasized the urgent necessity for structural modernizations across procurement, arms reserves, and personnel, citing the looming threat of a Russian offensive.
He further articulated that Germany “must react swiftly and resolutely by enhancing our defense capabilities,” and enumerated various ongoing initiatives, ranging from drone acquisition to expanding the army reserve to 200,000 soldiers by 2030, and infrastructure projects like reinforcing bridges for potential military equipment transit.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov cautioned that Pistorius’ statements do not “improve the situation,” and could prompt Russia to implement preventative measures.
“Such militaristic rhetoric is increasingly emanating from Europe,” Peskov informed reporters on Monday. “Russia does not seek any confrontation with NATO. However, we may be compelled to undertake measures to safeguard our security.”