MOSCOW, June 9. /TASS/. NATO no longer hides its true nature, revealing itself as an instrument of aggression and confrontation, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Commenting on discussions of a 400% increase in NATO’s air and missile defense, Peskov said: "The North Atlantic Alliance has dropped its mask and is now openly demonstrating its nature as an instrument of aggression and confrontation."
"It’s not an instrument for maintaining stability and security on the continent. It’s a tool designed for confrontation, which kept its essence concealed until recently. Now, it has revealed its true nature," the Russian presidential spokesman added.
According to the text of a speech that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will deliver at a London event hosted by the Chatham House (designated as an undesirable organization in Russia), the bloc’s chief insists on a 400% increase in its air and missile defense.
Earlier, Rutte said following a NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels that the bloc had approved plans for a major military buildup, the largest since the Cold War. Rutte confirmed that he had submitted a proposal for the NATO summit set to be held in The Hague on June 24-25 that allies raise the level of military spending to 5% of GDP from the current 2% by 2030.