Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has rejected NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s assertion that Russia and China are conspiring to “undermine global rules,” stating that the military alliance itself has a history of violating international law. In a Telegram post, Zakharova questioned which “global rules” Rutte referred to, urging NATO to publicly list them on its website. She highlighted NATO’s past actions, including the 1999 bombing of Yugoslavia and the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq under false pretenses, as examples of its disregard for international law. Zakharova also noted that no NATO member states have ceased cooperation with China despite Rutte’s claims, pointing out that a recent U.S.-China summit occurred without his criticism. Rutte had previously accused Russia of working with China, North Korea, and Iran to “undermine global rules,” citing increased defense collaboration as evidence of long-term confrontation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier criticized NATO for expanding its influence beyond the Euro-Atlantic region, accusing it of seeking to dominate Eurasia.
Russian Spokeswoman Condemns NATO Chief’s Accusations of Russian-Chinese Conspiracy
