Kremlin To Track NATO Summit as Moscow Criticizes Russia-Focused Remarks

Russia said it will closely follow the NATO summit in Ankara after what the Kremlin described as confrontational statements about Moscow ahead of the alliance meetings.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

The Kremlin said Tuesday that Russia will closely watch the NATO summit in Turkey, where alliance leaders are gathering for two days of talks expected to include defense spending, Ukraine and other security disputes affecting relations between Moscow and the West.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the meetings in Ankara are drawing Moscow’s attention because of the issues expected to be discussed and the public comments made before the summit.

“This is an event that is of great interest, including to us. Of course, we will be monitoring all the news and information coming out of Ankara,” Peskov told journalists.

NATO leaders are meeting Tuesday and Wednesday as President Donald Trump presses European members of the alliance to increase defense spending. The summit also follows months of friction across the Atlantic tied to the Iran war and Greenland.

Peskov said Russian officials had heard numerous comments about Russia in advance of the gathering. He criticized the tone of those remarks and said they did not point toward improved relations.

“To our regret, these were not statements about constructive engagement and dialog, but rather statements of a confrontational nature,” Peskov said.

He did not identify specific statements or officials.

Trump said Monday that he planned to discuss the war in Ukraine during the NATO meetings. He also said a resolution to the more than four-year conflict was “getting closer than people realize.”

Peskov said Russia hopes U.S. efforts to move the situation toward peace will succeed.

He said Moscow hoped U.S. “efforts to steer the entire situation onto a peaceful track (would) ultimately succeed. At the very least, we, as the Russian President has repeatedly said, remain open to this.”

The Kremlin’s comments came as NATO members prepared to weigh military commitments, alliance priorities and continued pressure on Russia while the war in Ukraine remains unresolved.