NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's recent comments urging allies to permit Ukraine to use Western weapons against Russia have been met with sharp criticism from the Kremlin.
In recent interviews with state media, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov accused NATO of escalating military tensions and engaging in a direct confrontation with Russia.
Escalating Military Rhetoric
In an interview with Izvestia, Peskov criticized Stoltenberg's statements, asserting that NATO is "flirting with military rhetoric" and "falling into military ecstasy." He emphasized that Stoltenberg’s remarks reflect the alliance's official stance, given his position as NATO Secretary General.
He added, "Our military also knows what to do; they are continuing a special military operation to stop all threats."
When asked about the alliance's proximity to direct confrontation with Russia, Peskov remarked, "They are not approaching; they are in it."
Stoltenberg recently called on NATO allies supplying weapons to Ukraine to lift restrictions on their use against military targets in Russia.
"The time has come for NATO allies to consider whether they should lift some of the restrictions they have put in place on the use of the weapons they have transferred to Ukraine," he told The Economist.
