MOSCOW. July 16 (Interfax) - NATO European members may fail to honor their commitment to raise defense spending, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu said.
"It is not accidental that the initial results of the new defense budgets will be summed up by 2029, when the presidential term of Donald Trump expires. It is not ruled out that the Europeans, who have made deception an integral element of their foreign policy strategy, are going to trick the White House occupant by discarding their obligations," Shoigu said in an interview with the Kommersant newspaper.
European countries "may resort to tricks" and pass off the costs of building roads, bridges, transport hubs and other civil infrastructure as "related" expenses, he said.
"It looks like NATO recommendations can be fulfilled just formally," Shoigu said.