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Russia's Lavrov warns NATO's military spending risks collapse of bloc

Iran Press TV

Monday, 30 June 2025 10:32 AM

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned that an increase in military spending by the Northern Alliance risks the downfall of the military bloc.

NATO leaders, who had gathered in The Hague for a two-day summit, yielded to visiting US President Donald Trump's demands, agreeing on Wednesday to increase military spending to 5 percent of member states' GDP.

The Western countries claimed that the increase in military spending aimed to ward off a threat posed by Russia against these countries.

Lavrov said on Monday that Moscow planned to cut its defense spending, but that he thought a joint agreement by NATO members to increase their military spending would only hurt the alliance and ultimately lead to its collapse.

Commenting on Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski's statement that Russia's military buildup would cause its downfall, Lavrov said, "He can probably see - since he is such a wise sage - that the disastrous increase in spending of NATO countries will also lead to the collapse of this organization."

"Meanwhile, Russia - as President [Vladimir Putin] said the other day in Minsk after the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting - plans to reduce its military spending and be guided by common sense, rather than imaginary threats, as NATO member states do, including Sikorski," Lavrov added.

The Russian leader pointed out on Friday that Moscow was devising plans to cut its military expenditure from next year.

Russia rejects Western countries' baseless claim that Moscow poses a threat and will one day attack a NATO member, a move both Russia and the United States say could trigger World War III.