Dramatic Increase in NATO Defense Spending to Bring About Its Collapse: Lavrov
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – NATO's defense spending spree will hurt the alliance, leading to its ultimate collapse, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters after the Collective Security Treaty Organization’s Council of Foreign Ministers meeting, as he called for more pragmatism in its approach.
"He can probably see – since he is such a wise sage – that the disastrous increase in spending of NATO countries will also lead to the collapse of this organization," Lavrov said, commenting on Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski’s statement that Russia’s military buildup would cause its downfall, TASS reported.
"Meanwhile, Russia – as President (Vladimir Putin) said the other day in Minsk after the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting – plans to reduce its military spending and be guided by common sense, rather than imaginary threats, as NATO member states do, including Sikorski," he stated.
NATO countries have agreed to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP, according to the communique adopted following the NATO Summit held in The Hague on June 24-25. The alliance member states will allocate at least 3.5% of GDP by 2035, based on NATO’s agreed definition of military spending, with 1.5% of GDP to be earmarked for protecting critical infrastructure and networks, ensuring civil preparedness and resilience, stimulating innovation, and strengthening the defense industry.
US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters on June 20, said that the United States should not be subject to his demand for NATO member countries to raise military spending to 5% of GDP.
