Military spending

Kremlin says NATO's spending plans confirm its fears about the alliance

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that reports that NATO planned to increase its defense spending showed Moscow was right to be concerned over what it said was the military alliance’s eastward expansion and policy of trying to contain Russia.

“We see that NATO carries out actions aimed at containment and expansion with regards our country. This can only prompt our concern,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call.

He said that Russia would not be dragged into a costly arms race despite NATO’s behavior.