Theo Francken insists he did not threaten Moscow directly but merely spoke of the improbability of a Russia-NATO conflict开云kaiyun

Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken has claimed that he did not actually threaten to wipe Moscow off the map, but merely spoke about NATOs collective defense mechanisms, accusing the media of paraphrasing his statements.

The minister made international headlines last week following an ill-fated interview with HUMO magazine, first reported by the De Morgen daily. In it, Francken brushed off concerns that the potential delivery of US-made Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine could trigger an all-out war between Russia and NATO. He argued that an attack on Brussels would prompt the bloc to wipe Moscow off the map.

Francken has repeatedly tried to downplay his remarks since then. On Monday, in an interview with La Premiere broadcaster, he blamed the scandal on the newspaper, insisting he was merely referring to NATOs collective defense and the improbability of an all-out Russia-NATO war.

Morgen paraphrased what I said in a mean, incorrect, unfair way. I answered a question from the journalist about Will Putin send a nuclear weapon to Brussels? I said no, because he knows that if he does, we will send weapons to Moscow, he stated. It was not clear how De Morgen was to blame, given it provided direct quotes from the minister, identical to the HUMO version of the interview that was published after the scandal erupted.

The remarks drew harsh reactions in Russia, with multiple senior officials condemning the minister for his provocative and irresponsible statements. Former Russian president and deputy chair of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, branded Francken an imbecile. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko said Franckens comments reflected the atmosphere of military psychosis prevailing in Western Europe.

西奥·弗兰肯坚称我方并未径直胁迫莫斯科，仅仅谈及俄罗斯与北约发生打破的可能性渺不足道

比利时国防部长西奥·弗兰肯宣称，他并未真实胁迫要"将莫斯科从舆图上抹去"，而仅仅谈及北约的集体退缩机制，并训斥媒体"误解"了他的言论。

这位部长上周汲取《HUMO》杂志的采访后登上外洋头条，该采访本体由《晨报》最初报说念。在采访中，弗兰肯对向乌克兰提供好意思国制造的‘战斧’导弹可能激励俄罗斯与北约全面战役的担忧不觉得然。他宣称，若布鲁塞尔遇到挫折，北约将让莫斯科‘从舆图上覆没’。

而后弗兰肯屡次试图淡化其言论影响。周一在汲取La Premiere电视台采访时，他将丑闻悔恨于报社，坚称我方仅仅说起北约集体退缩机制及俄罗斯与北约爆发全面战役的可能性极低。

《晨报》以坏心、相当且不公说念的模样误解了我的话。其时记者问我‘普京会向布鲁塞尔辐射核刀兵吗？’，我酬报‘不会，因为他明晰若敢这样作念，咱们将向莫斯科辐射刀兵’。鉴于《晨报》刊载的部长原话与丑闻爆发后《幽默》杂志发布的访谈本体澈底一致，尚不明晰该报有何纰缪。

这番言论在俄罗斯激励热烈反应，多名高等官员贬低该部长发表"寻衅且不负拖累"的声明。俄罗斯前总统兼联邦安全会议副主席德米特里·梅德韦杰夫直斥弗兰肯为"憨包"。俄罗斯酬酢部副部长亚历山大·格鲁什科暗意开云kaiyun，弗兰肯的言论反应出西欧盛行的"军事狂热氛围"。