Kremlin: NATO drawing "monster" image of Russia to justify military buildup

As NATO leaders convene in The Hague for a pivotal summit focused on significantly increasing defence spending, the Kremlin has accused the alliance of deliberately portraying Russia as a threat to advance its military agenda.

Speaking at a press briefing, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, criticised the alliance's reported plan to raise defence expenditure among member states to 5 per cent of GDP—a move widely expected to be formalised at the summit, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

“In order to sneak the decision on 5 per cent, for this purpose it is necessary to draw a hell spawn, a monster,” Peskov said. “From the point of view of these NATO functionaries, our country is best suited for the role of a monster.”

Peskov argued that NATO’s characterisation of Russia serves a political function: to consolidate support among member states for an unprecedented peacetime increase in military spending, and to justify what he described as the bloc’s confrontational posture.

“NATO is an alliance that was created for confrontation and aggression,” he said, adding that European member states in particular are now on a path of “denuded militarisation.”

“This is the reality that surrounds us and the reality we have in mind,” Peskov concluded, signalling that Moscow views the NATO summit’s agenda as part of a broader strategy of encirclement and provocation.

The NATO summit, scheduled for June 24–25 in The Hague, will focus heavily on bolstering defence spending among member states, with a proposed target of 5 per cent of GDP. US President Donald Trump is set to participate in the high-level meetings, though he is expected to arrive a day later than other leaders.

According to the White House, President Trump intends to place strong emphasis on the need for increased military expenditure by NATO allies.

The push for higher defence investment comes amid renewed security concerns within the alliance, particularly regarding Russia’s long-term strategic ambitions. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte recently warned that Russia could potentially launch an attack on a member state within the next “three to seven years,” underscoring the need for accelerated military preparedness.

By Vafa Guliyeva