Russia’s Defense Minister, Andrei Belousov, warned that the country should prepare for different scenarios in the next 10 years. One of these possibilities is a war with NATO.
According to Belousov, changes in NATO countries’ plans and conclusions from a meeting in Washington in July suggest that conflict may be more likely. He didn’t give specific details about what these changes are.
NATO’s recent actions have increased tensions between Russia and the alliance. In July, NATO leaders agreed to give Ukraine more air defense systems and money ($43 billion). They also pledged that Ukraine will become a member of NATO, which is something Russia strongly opposes.
There have been warnings from Western officials about the possibility of an open conflict with Russia in the future. Some have suggested that NATO countries should spend even more on their military to be better prepared for such a situation.