Moscow (TDI): The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russia is closely following developments at the NATO Summit in Ankara, expressing concern over what it described as increasingly confrontational rhetoric directed at Moscow ahead of the alliance’s high-level meetings.
Speaking to reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the summit is of significant interest to Russia and that Moscow will carefully monitor announcements and discussions emerging from the gathering.
“This is an event that is of great interest to us. We will closely follow all the news and information coming out of Ankara,” Peskov said. He added that many public statements made before the summit had focused on Russia but regretted that they reflected confrontation rather than dialogue.
“Unfortunately, these have not been statements about constructive engagement and dialogue, but rather statements of a confrontational nature,” Peskov said.
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The two-day NATO Summit has brought together alliance leaders amid renewed calls by US President Donald Trump for European allies to increase defense spending and strengthen NATO’s military capabilities. The meeting also comes against the backdrop of continued tensions over the war in Ukraine, the Middle East and broader transatlantic security issues.
On Monday, President Trump said he expected discussions on the conflict in Ukraine to feature prominently during the summit, expressing optimism that a resolution to the more than four-year war could be closer than many believe.
Commenting on those remarks, Peskov said Russia hopes ongoing diplomatic efforts by the United States will help move the conflict toward a peaceful settlement. He reiterated that Moscow remains open to negotiations, noting that Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated Russia’s willingness to pursue a political solution to the conflict.
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The Kremlin’s comments come as NATO leaders continue discussions on strengthening collective defense, increasing military investment and addressing security challenges facing the alliance.
