Germany is becoming “dangerous again,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday. He was responding to remarks by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who suggested that German troops are ready to kill Russian troops.
Speaking to RBK business daily, Peskov said it is hard to believe that Pistorius actually made the comments, “But, unfortunately, this is so.”
“Germany is becoming dangerous again,” he added.
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Pistorius made the comments in an interview with the Financial Times published on Sunday, lauding the battle-readiness of German troops and their resolve to take lethal action against Russian troops if necessary.
“If deterrence doesn’t work and Russia attacks, is it going to happen? Yes,” Pistorius said. “But I would recommend that you simply go to Vilnius and talk to the representatives of the German brigade there. They know exactly what their job is.”
Any talk of peace can only be possible “on equal terms” and “from a position of strength,” Pistorius insisted. While Germany is not seeking to “intimidate anyone,” no one should “think that we’re weak or that we won’t defend ourselves,” he added.
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The purported Russian threat has long been a key talking point for various officials from NATO countries. Moscow has dismissed speculation that Russia plans to attack the US-led bloc as “nonsense.”
Last month, Peskov suggested that the bloc needs a “monster” to justify its existence and growing defense costs. “They have made a monster out of Russia in order to justify the decision to increase NATO defense spending to 5% of GDP,” he said at the time.