Politics · Russia · 8 hrs ago
Zakharova says NATO weakens Europe’s security
Maria Zakharova criticized NATO at an event in Russia, comparing the alliance to a diseased tooth.
She said NATO weakens Europe’s ability to respond to threats and uses up resources.
She argued NATO was created for aggressive purposes, including coups and economic expansion.
Her remarks responded to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said Europe already has a security framework in NATO and need not discuss a new one with Russia.
Merz said talks on Ukraine should focus on achieving peace rather than wider security questions.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also warned that Russia’s proposal could be a trap, and said peace agreements on Ukraine should come first.
Maria Zakharova said NATO weakens Europe’s security and the security of the wider world.
The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman argued that Europe would be more secure if NATO did not play its current role.
She made the comments while responding to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s support for NATO as Europe’s existing security architecture.
Merz said discussions about a security architecture with Russia were unnecessary in the context of a settlement in Ukraine.
Zakharova said NATO was created for aggressive and expansionist purposes, rather than to maintain stability.
- Who
- Maria Zakharova, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, criticized NATO. She was responding to remarks by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
- What
- Zakharova said NATO undermines Europe’s and the world’s security and argued Europe would be safer without its current role.
- When
- November 14, 2026. Merz’s remarks were reported as having been made on November 13.
- Where
- Zakharova spoke on the sidelines of the PR Weekend event in Moscow.
- Why
- She was commenting on Merz’s statement that NATO already provided Europe’s security architecture, so there was no need to discuss one with Russia in the context of a Ukrainian settlement.
Maria Zakharova
Friedrich Merz
NATO’s role in European security
Maria Zakharova
Zakharova said Europe would likely be more secure if NATO did not play its current role.
Friedrich Merz
Merz said Europe already had a security architecture in the form of NATO.
Discussions with Russia
Maria Zakharova
Zakharova criticized Merz’s position on discussing security architecture with Russia.
Friedrich Merz
Merz argued there was no need to discuss such an architecture with Russia in the context of a Ukrainian settlement.
Merz rejected proposals from Russia to discuss Europe’s security architecture, according to Vedomosti.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Russia was setting traps by seeking discussions on Europe’s security architecture and called for Ukraine peace agreements to be signed first.
Zakharova criticized NATO at the PR Weekend event in Moscow.
- Speaker
- Maria Zakharova, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman
- Event
- PR Weekend, organized by the New Media Workshop
- Location
- Moscow
- Merz’s position
- NATO already provides Europe’s security architecture
- Kallas’s position
- Sign Ukraine peace agreements before holding other talks
2 sources
What people are saying
If NATO did not exist -- or, more precisely, if it did not play the role that it has played and continues to play -- there would likely be much more security in Europe,
NATO is precisely the kind of organization that -- much like a bad tooth -- has suppressed the immunity of Europe -- its western and central parts -- and indeed the entire world, by siphoning off and consuming a colossal amount of response resources,
It was created to orchestrate coups in various countries, to carry out 'color revolutions,' to pursue economic expansion, and to facilitate all manner of schemes for the benefit of those who profit from such policies within NATO,