Russia Says EU Defense Spending Hike Risks Stoking More War in Europe

Russia's foreign ministry said on Thursday that European Union plans to hike defense spending amounted to the incitement of war based on the invented myth that European powers were threatened by Russia.

The European Commission proposed this month to borrow up to 150 billion euros to lend to EU governments under a rearmament plan driven by Russia's war in Ukraine and fears that Europe can no longer be sure of U.S. protection.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the package of proposals could mobilize up to 800 billion euros for European defense.

Russian Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the plans of von der Leyen amounted to the "the incitement of war on the European continent."

Zakahrova hit back at European assertions that Russia, after invading Ukraine in 2022, now threatened European security.

She said Europe was spreading false narratives about the so called Russian threat: "This is a deliberately invented story based on Russophobia which is promoted by inadequate Brussels officials."