Moscow - Saba:
Russian presidential aide Nikolai Patrushev announced that mastering the Russian language could help NATO members understand that Moscow has no intention of attacking alliance members.
Sputnik quoted Patrushev as saying, commenting on NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's statement that if NATO countries cannot raise military spending to 5 percent of GDP, they will have to "learn to speak Russian," that: "Learning foreign languages is useful. Perhaps mastering Russian would help NATO members understand the Russian president's statement that our country will not attack NATO countries."
He added: "Ultimately, there is no point in doing so, and all these horror stories are only intended to distract the European population from the deteriorating economic situation of the European Union. You can speak any language, except the language of force, threats, and blackmail."
It is noteworthy that Russia has observed unprecedented NATO activity on its western borders in recent years, as the alliance has expanded its initiatives under the slogan of "deterring Russian aggression."Moscow has repeatedly expressed concern about the alliance's increased military presence in Europe.
The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that Moscow is open to dialogue with NATO, provided it is based on equality, and called on the West to abandon its approach to militarizing the continent.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously made clear, in a detailed interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson, that Moscow does not intend to attack NATO countries, considering this to be meaningless.
Putin noted that Western politicians regularly frighten their people with the "alleged Russian threat" to divert attention from their own domestic problems, stressing that "smart people are well aware that this is just a fabrication."