Belgian Defense Minister Warns NATO Would Destroy Moscow If Attacked

Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken has issued a stern warning to Moscow, declaring that any missile attack on Brussels, the heart of NATO, would provoke a devastating response, including wiping Moscow off the map. He emphasized that while he doubts Russian President Vladimir Putin would dare to strike Brussels due to the guaranteed NATO retaliation, Europe must not underestimate Russia's growing military capacity, which produces significantly more munitions than NATO. Francken highlighted ongoing concerns about "grey zone" tactics, such as covert operations to destabilize NATO countries like Estonia by inciting unrest among Russian-speaking minorities. He called for accelerated European rearmament and stronger economic sanctions to cripple Russia's war economy, especially targeting its oil and gas revenues. Francken also dismissed doubts about U.S. commitment to NATO under President Trump, affirming the U.S. would uphold Article 5 obligations. Additionally, he warned of a potential Moscow-Beijing alliance seeking to weaken the West through prolonged conflict, while praising Ukrainian resistance as a crucial brake on Russian ambitions.