Zakharova Rejects German Defense Minister's Statements: Completely Unacceptable
The Russian Foreign Ministry's Spokesperson rejects statements made by the German Minister of Defense on using nuclear weapons against Russia
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, described statements by German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer on the use of nuclear weapons against Russia as "absolutely unacceptable."
Speaking to broadcaster Soloviev Live, Zakharova noted that "the head of the German Defense Ministry made absolutely unacceptable statements about the containment of Russia and the possibility of even using nuclear weapons."
Zakharova also declared that both Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu stated stoically, with evidence, and in perfect clarity that such statements are not acceptable.
The Defense Minister's response
In response to Kramp-Karrenbauer's statement, Russian Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu, commented that "amid the calls for military deterrence in Russia, NATO is consistently pulling its forces to our borders."
"The German defense minister must know well how such moves in the past ended for Germany and Europe. There can only be shared security in Europe, without infringements on Russia’s interests. However, it is NATO that is unprepared for an equitable dialogue on this issue," Shoigu pointed out.
Earlier, the German Defense Minister warned European countries against separating from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), calling on France and the European Union to overcome "illusions" of future autonomy from the US.
Last Thursday, Kramp-Karrenbauer told broadcaster Deutschlandfunk that NATO should "make it very clear" to Russia that it is "willing" to use military means, including nuclear, to contain Moscow so that "no one would think of ​​attacking", for example, the Baltic states or NATO partners in the Black Sea.