Belgian defense chief defends himself against wiping Moscow off remark
(MENAFN) Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken has denied making a direct threat to “wipe Moscow off the map,” asserting that his comments were about NATO’s collective defense measures and accusing the media of misrepresenting his statements, according to reports.
Francken came under international scrutiny following an interview with HUMO magazine, first reported by the daily De Morgen, in which he downplayed concerns that supplying US-made Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine could spark an all-out conflict between Russia and NATO. During the interview, he reportedly stated that an attack on Brussels would provoke NATO to “wipe Moscow off the map.”
On Monday, Francken sought to clarify his remarks in an interview with La Premiere, attributing the controversy to media misrepresentation. “Morgen paraphrased what I said in a mean, incorrect, unfair way. I answered a question from the journalist about ‘Will Putin send a nuclear weapon to Brussels?’ I said no, because he knows that if he does, we will send weapons to Moscow,” he said, emphasizing that he was referring to NATO’s collective defense and the low likelihood of a full-scale Russia-NATO war.
The comments sparked strong reactions in Russia. Former President and Security Council deputy chair Dmitry Medvedev called Francken an “imbecile,” while Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko said the statements reflected “the atmosphere of military psychosis” in Western Europe.
Despite Francken’s defense, it remains unclear how the media could have misrepresented his words, as De Morgen published direct quotes identical to the HUMO version of the interview.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
