NATO's plan to massively boost its air and missile defense capabilities is confrontational and will be at the expense of European taxpayers, who are being asked to pay to neutralize a threat that does not exist, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, quoted by "Reuters", writes News.bg.
He made his statement after NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that the Alliance needs a 400% increase in air and missile defense. He also urged member states to increase defense spending to 3.5% of GDP and allocate an additional 1.5% for broader security-related spending.
Asked about Rutte's words on air and missile defense, Peskov pointed out: "NATO is not an instrument for maintaining stability and security on the continent. It is an instrument created for confrontation, and until now it has concealed its true nature. But now it is coming to light".
Peskov warned that European taxpayers are the ones who will suffer.
"European taxpayers will spend their money to neutralize some threat that they believe comes from our country, but it is nothing more than an ephemeral threat," he stressed.