Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken has defended his remarks that NATO could “wipe Moscow off the map,” stating they were made in the context of the alliance’s deterrence doctrine. The comments, initially criticized by Russia as reckless, sparked diplomatic tensions after Francken shared a social media post addressing concerns about the statement.

Francken’s clarification came after he posted on Thursday that NATO “is not at war with Russia and has no desire to be,” emphasizing the bloc’s role as a defensive alliance. He reiterated that NATO’s “strike back” principle, which has guided its deterrence strategy for 76 years, underpinned his remarks. The minister added, “That’s what I meant in the… interview, and I don’t take back a single word.”

The comments followed an earlier interview with Belgian outlet De Morgen, where Francken dismissed concerns about supplying U.S.-made Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, arguing that Russian President Vladimir Putin would avoid nuclear retaliation. He claimed NATO’s capability to “wipe Moscow off the map” would deter direct confrontation.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko condemned Francken’s remarks as emblematic of “military psychosis” in Western Europe, while the Russian Embassy in Belgium called them “absurd and disconnected from reality.” Moscow has framed the Ukraine conflict as a NATO proxy war, asserting that Western arms deliveries risk prolonging the conflict.

Francken’s statement coincided with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev mocking him on social media, praising Russia’s “friends” for the successful test of a Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone.