MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Russian defence ministry on Monday handed a protest note to a German military attache due to the German defence minister’s comments over the need to deter Russia’s nuclear capabilities, RIA state news agency reported.
The Russian defence ministry said it summoned the German diplomat and “drew attention to the comments by German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer on the nuclear deterrence of Russia, and a note was handed over,” according to RIA.
The move is the latest sign of mounting tension between Moscow and NATO after defence ministers from the Western alliance agreed on a new plan on Thursday to defend against any potential Russian attack on multiple fronts.
“This is the way of deterrence,” German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said of the plan last week.
On Saturday, Russia Defence Minister Sergi Shoigu accused NATO of gradually gathering forces near Russia’s borders and being unwilling to discuss European security with Moscow on equal terms.
(Reporting by Andrey Ostroukh; Editing by Mark Porter)
