The Kremlin criticized NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday for suggesting that alliance members should permit Ukraine to conduct strikes deep into Russia using Western weapons. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov rebuked Stoltenberg’s remarks, stating that NATO’s stance was leading to a direct confrontation with Russia.
In an interview with The Economist, Stoltenberg had indicated that NATO members supplying arms to Ukraine should reconsider their prohibition on using them for strikes against military targets in Russia. Peskov condemned NATO’s increasing level of escalation, accusing the alliance of indulging in military rhetoric and risking military conflict. He emphasized that the Russian military was prepared to respond accordingly.
When asked about the possibility of NATO entering into direct confrontation with Russia, Peskov asserted that NATO was already engaged in such a confrontation. Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously cautioned against the risk of a global conflict over Ukraine, warning that a direct conflict between Russia and NATO could escalate into World War Three.
Russian officials view any Ukrainian attacks deep inside Russia, including those targeting civilian areas and nuclear defense installations, as escalatory. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 exacerbated tensions between Russia and the West, leading to the most significant deterioration in relations since the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Currently, Russia is advancing along the front line in Ukraine.
While the United States has stated its opposition to encouraging Ukraine to strike inside Russia, The Economist noted that Stoltenberg’s remarks seemed directed at U.S. President Joe Biden, who has resisted permitting Ukraine to conduct such strikes with U.S. weapons.