Moscow: In a sharp public rebuke Sunday, the Kremlin denounced remarks by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte about the possibility of a large-scale war between the Western military alliance and Russia calling them “irresponsible,” historically ignorant and dangerously provocative. The Russian leadership’s response highlights widening rhetorical divisions between Moscow and Western capitals that could deepen tensions at a time when both sides are navigating the protracted fallout from the Ukraine conflict.
Rutte, speaking at a conference in Berlin last Thursday, warned that NATO must prepare itself for a conflict on a scale similar to the cataclysmic World War Two and suggested that Russia could be NATO’s “next target.” His comments were intended to underscore what he and other alliance leaders see as a deteriorating European security environment and the urgency of strengthening collective defense.
However, the Kremlin swiftly rejected this framing. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov asserted that Rutte’s characterization of the threat and his call for preparations amounted to historical misunderstanding and unnecessary alarmism. Peskov argued that invoking the memory of the Second World War for contemporary geopolitics was inappropriate and detracted from the reality of present-day diplomacy, accusing Rutte of failing to grasp the devastation wrought by that conflict.
Moscow has long dismissed claims by NATO officials that Russia harbours intentions of attacking alliance members as unfounded and politically motivated. In its statement on Sunday, the Kremlin reiterated this position, framing such Western warnings as attempts to whip up anti-Russian sentiment and to justify increased defense spending and military posturing by NATO states.
The clash in rhetoric comes against the backdrop of a nearly three-year war in Ukraine that has already strained relations between Russia and the West to levels not seen since the Cold War era. Western capitals have repeatedly cited the ongoing conflict as evidence of a need for robust deterrence measures, while Russia portrays NATO’s military activities and expansion as provocative threats to its national security.
Rutte’s comments reflect a broader push within NATO to stress the seriousness of current security challenges. In speeches and interviews during the past year, he has urged member states to increase defense spending, enhance NATO’s readiness and remain vigilant in the face of what he frames as aggressive Russian policy choices. Some analysts note that Rutte’s warnings are aimed at underlining the strategic urgency of collective defense measures in Europe.
From Moscow’s perspective, however, such warnings reinforce its narrative that the West seeks to contain Russia geopolitically and militarily. Russian officials have consistently characterized NATO’s policies and statements as escalatory, arguing that they contribute to instability rather than diplomatic resolution. This French rejection of what it perceives as Western confrontation underscores a persistent strategic stalemate.
As the year draws to a close, both sides appear entrenched in their competing narratives, with little indication of immediate diplomatic rapprochement. The Kremlin’s strong dismissal of Rutte’s speech underscores how sensitive public language has become in shaping perceptions and policy directions on both sides of the Russia–NATO divide.