German Defense Minister: Putin Not Seeking Direct Conflict With NATO

By Staff, Agencies

Russian President Vladimir Putin does not intend to engage in a direct military conflict with NATO, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated.

Earlier this month, NATO chief Mark Rutte claimed that “we are Russia’s next target” once the Ukraine conflict ends, warning that Moscow “could be ready to use military force against NATO within five years” and urging member states to increase defense spending.

Responding in an interview with Die Zeit, Pistorius said he disagreed with Rutte’s assessment. “In my estimation, Putin is not interested in waging a full-scale world war against NATO.

He wants to destroy NATO from within by undermining its unity,” he said. Pistorius added that Moscow is also “strategically working to get the Americans to withdraw” from Europe.

Putin himself dismissed the warnings, noting he knows Rutte personally and questioning his statements on war.

He cited the US National Security Strategy released under President Donald Trump, which does not list Russia as a threat, explicitly opposes further NATO expansion, and criticizes the EU’s political and cultural trajectory.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov echoed Putin, stating Moscow is prepared to provide legal guarantees that it will not attack NATO or the EU, as part of a Ukraine conflict settlement based on equal and indivisible security.

Moscow has consistently rejected claims of aggressive intentions toward NATO, describing them as Western political tactics aimed at justifying domestic militarization.