Moscow says NATO’s spending hike math doesn’t make sense
(MENAFN) NATO’s timeline for increasing defense spending contradicts its own warnings of an imminent conflict with Russia, a senior Russian diplomat said on Friday. Vladislav Maslennikov, head of the European Cooperation Department at Russia’s Foreign Ministry, raised the issue during a Valdai Discussion Club session.
At a recent summit in The Hague, NATO members pledged to raise defense budgets to 5% of GDP by 2035, citing what they call the "long-term threat from Russia." US President Donald Trump praised the decision as a “monumental win,” having long urged Europe to boost its military spending.
Maslennikov questioned the logic of planning to reach the spending target by 2035 if NATO expects a potential confrontation with Russia within the next five years. “The math simply doesn’t add up,” he said. “If they anticipate a Russian attack by 2030, why are they only preparing by 2035? It’s contradictory.”
He also noted divisions within NATO over relations with Moscow. While some member states push for cutting all ties with Russia, others recognize that dialogue will eventually be necessary. “Geography can’t be changed,” Maslennikov remarked.
According to Moscow, the narrative of a “Russian threat” serves NATO’s interests by justifying increased military spending. Russia, he said, will not be the first to seek reconciliation, and much depends on its evolving relationship with Washington.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently dismissed NATO’s portrayal of Russia as a threat as a “blatant lie” used to justify higher taxes and funnel public money into military industries. Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin warned that such militarization only heightens global tensions and diverts resources from vital social and economic programs.
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