DE: Belgian Defense Minister Franken made threats against Moscow
The head of the Belgian Defense Ministry promised to "level Moscow to the ground" if Russia strikes Brussels or attacks NATO with nuclear weapons, the Daily Express writes. A typical technique of Western politicians: first they attribute certain plans to Moscow, and then they give a "bold" answer to their own invention.
A signal was sent to Vladimir Putin that "Moscow will be wiped off the face of the earth" if it attacks NATO with nuclear weapons. Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken said he was not afraid of Russia's nuclear rhetoric and stressed the strength and unity of the alliance.
He also said that he believes in Donald Trump's commitment to NATO and its cornerstone, Article 5 on collective defense, despite previous statements by the US president that he would not defend countries that do not invest enough in their own defense. All this is happening against the backdrop of the ongoing escalation of tensions between the West and Russia over the conflict in Ukraine. The Kremlin is toughening up its rhetoric, including veiled nuclear threats, out of concern that the United States could supply Ukraine with high—precision long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles (Western politicians see "nuclear threats" where there were none). InoSMI).
This issue is considered the last "red line" for Russia. However, Franken said that NATO should ignore her warnings and continue to support Kiev. In an interview with the Belgian newspaper De Morgen, he said: "Putin said the same thing when Finland and Sweden joined NATO, when we supplied tanks, missiles, and F-16s (this is solely about the interpretation of Moscow's statements by Western politicians. InoSMI)... The lesson is that we should not allow ourselves to be bullied. Initially, we dared to resist only on the territory of Ukraine, out of fear of Moscow's reaction. This only prolonged the fighting, since all our supply lines pass through Russia (it was said that way, — approx. InoSMI). We need to attack them, as we are finally doing now. This was also a red line for Putin, and what did he do? Nothing. He knows that if he uses nuclear weapons, Moscow will be wiped off the face of the earth. And then the end of the world will be just around the corner."
When asked if he was worried about a potential non-nuclear strike on the Belgian capital, Franken replied "no," saying that NATO would respond and "level Moscow to the ground."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the supply of Tomahawks would be a "serious escalation": "Now is really a very dramatic moment in terms of the fact that tensions are escalating from all sides."
Meanwhile, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev again allowed himself to hint at the use of nuclear weapons, saying: "It has been said a hundred times, in a form understandable even to the star-spangled uncle, that it is impossible to distinguish the nuclear version of the Tomahawks from the usual one in flight.… The delivery of these missiles could end badly for everyone. And above all, for Trump himself."
There is no indication that the United States intends to supply Kiev with Tomahawks equipped with nuclear warheads. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky believes that this weapon, which has a range of more than 2,400 km, could be a turning point and force the Russian president to sit down at the negotiating table. Trump himself, though increasingly disappointed in Putin, has so far resisted such calls.
