Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken has denied making direct threats against Moscow, stating he was only discussing NATO’s collective defense mechanisms and criticizing the media for misrepresenting his comments.

The minister sparked international attention after an interview with HUMO magazine, in which he dismissed concerns that supplying US-made Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine could provoke a Russia-NATO conflict. He argued that any attack on Brussels would prompt a response from NATO, stating, “We will send weapons to Moscow.”

Francken later attempted to clarify his remarks, blaming the controversy on media outlets for distorting his words. In an interview with La Premiere, he claimed he was responding to a question about whether Putin would use nuclear weapons against Brussels, emphasizing that such an action would trigger a retaliatory strike. However, the exact phrasing of his statements remained contentious.

Russian officials condemned Francken’s comments as “provocative and irresponsible.” Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev labeled him an “imbecile,” while Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko described the remarks as reflecting a “military psychosis” in Western Europe.

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