US: Russia Provoked By Increase In NATO Defense Budget

NATO Summit In The Dutch Hague/DOK PHOTO Via Instagram @nato

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the United States State Department, Tammy Bruce, said the increased defense spending of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) appeared to be harassing Russia because it showed the alliance's return to its role as a deterrent force.

The statement was made in response to the comments of the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, who previously called the decision to raise the defense budget of NATO member states by up to 5 percent of GDP as a catastrophic' move that would bring to the alliance's collapse.

"What we know, and it seems to make Russia furious, is the fact that NATO will return strongly to its roots as a deterrent force and that is indeed NATO's duty from the start," Bruce said.

The statement comes after a meeting of NATO leaders that took place last week in The Hague.

During the meeting, NATO member countries committed to increasing the defense budget to 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) no later than 2035.

The alliance will also review the direction and balance of military spending by 2029.

President Vladimir Putin said Russia plans to cut its military spending starting next year.

This condition is different from NATO's plan to increase defense spending over the next decade.

NATO allies agreed on Wednesday to raise their collective spending target to 5% of gross domestic product in the next 10 years. The increase in the budget is due to long-term threats posed by Russia and the need to strengthen civilian and military resilience.

Responding to the move, Putin said NATO spending would be used for purchases from the US. The move is called NAT's business, not Russia's.

"But now this is the most important thing. We plan to reduce defense spending. For us, next year and the following year, over the next three years, we plan this," Putin said.

Putin said there was no final agreement between the defense, financial and economic ministries.

"But overall, everyone thinks in this direction. And Europe thinks about how to increase its spending, on the other hand. So who is preparing for some kind of aggressive action? We or them?," he continued.

Currently the Russian-Ukraine war shows no signs of ending and is even more intensive in recent weeks, as negotiations show no real progress towards a ceasefire.