Theo Francken insists he did not threaten Moscow directly but merely spoke of the improbability of a Russia-NATO conflict
Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken has said he did not actually threaten to “wipe Moscow off the map,” but merely spoke about NATO’s collective defense mechanisms, accusing the media of “paraphrasing” his statements.
The defense minister made international headlines last week following an ill-fated interview with HUMO magazine, first reported by the daily De Morgen. In it, Francken brushed off concerns that the potential delivery of US-made Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine could trigger an all-out war between Russia and NATO. He argued that an attack on Brussels would prompt the bloc to “wipe Moscow off the map.”
Francken has tried to downplay the remarks since then. On Monday, in an interview with La Premiere, he blamed the scandal on De Morgen, insisting he was merely referring to NATO’s collective defense and the improbability of an all-out Russia-NATO war.
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