Tensions between Russia and the West escalated again on Monday after the Kremlin publicly accused NATO of being “de facto involved” in the war in Ukraine, while the Russian military conducts its joint “Zapad 2025” (“West 2025”) exercises with Belarus, considered one of the largest war-preparedness drills in the region. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated in Moscow that the Atlantic alliance is “directly and indirectly participating in the conflict” through the constant supply of weapons, training, and logistical support to Kyiv.
“NATO is de facto involved in this war. It can be said with absolute certainty that it is fighting against Russia,” Peskov declared, also accusing the West of blocking any diplomatic progress and “adding fuel to the fire” instead of pushing for a ceasefire. Meanwhile, Russia’s Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, issued new threats against NATO and European countries.
Speaking on his official Telegram channel, he warned that any attempt by NATO forces to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine or to shoot down Russian drones would be considered by Moscow as a “formal declaration of war.” “The implementation of this provocative idea by some idiots in Kyiv and the West would mean only one thing: a direct war between NATO and Russia,” wrote the former Russian president. Medvedev also threatened European Union countries with “consequences until the end of the century”
if they attempt to seize or use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s defense, referring to recent reports suggesting that the European Commission is considering redirecting the revenues generated by those assets. As Moscow ramps up its rhetoric and carries out large-scale military exercises, diplomatic channels between Russia and Ukraine remain frozen, and fears of a direct escalation between NATO and Russia are once again growing in Europe.
