Shafaq News – Kyrgyzstan/Kyiv

NATO’s plan to sharply boost defense spending would eventually fracture the alliance, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov argued on Monday, while German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul accused Russia’s President Vladimir Putin of pursuing Ukraine’s total surrender rather than genuine negotiations.

Speaking after a Collective Security Treaty Organization meeting, Lavrov dismissed Polish fears that Russia’s military buildup might spark its own collapse, insisting instead that NATO’s “reckless spending spree” would destabilize its members. He claimed Moscow intends to cut defense budgets and prioritize “common sense,” echoing earlier remarks by Putin in Minsk.

Last week, NATO members approved a target to commit 5% of GDP to defense by 2035, allocating 3.5% for military readiness and 1.5% for infrastructure and innovation.

Meanwhile in Kyiv, Wadephul accused Putin of seeking “conquest at any cost,” warning that Russia aimed to weaken Western unity. He reaffirmed Germany’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, calling its defense “the most important task of our foreign and security policy.”

These statements come as Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate attacks while exploring their first serious diplomatic contacts since the war began in February 2022.