• Putin accuses Western governments of deliberately creating a threat narrative to increase defense spending among their populations.
• Despite assurances from Putin that Russia has no plans to attack NATO territory, skepticism remains in the West following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday rejected Western warnings that Russia could pose a threat to NATO countries or launch an attack on the alliance, calling the assertions "nonsense."

"But in my opinion, it is not just nonsense — it is a deliberate provocation," Putin said during a meeting with representatives of major international news agencies on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.

The Russian leader accused Western governments of deliberately creating a threat narrative that "in reality does not exist at all."

The objective, Putin said, is "to compel the populations of their own countries to spend more money on defence." He added that he was surprised that some people in Europe believed the warnings.

"It would be laughable if it were not so sad," Putin said. "Anyone who thinks Russia could attack NATO territory should ask themselves: What for?"

His assurances that Russia has no plans to attack NATO territory have frequently been met with scepticism in the West.

Before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the Kremlin had also repeatedly denied that it was preparing for war.