NATO Is in Direct Conflict With Russia: Peskov

On Monday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is in direct confrontation with Russia over conflict in Ukraine.

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Earlier in the day, NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg called for lifting the restrictions on Ukraine using weapons supplied by NATO members to attack Russian territories.

Peskov noted that Stoltenberg's statements can be only considered as the official stance of the entire U.S.-led military bloc and Russia will respond accordingly.

“This cannot be his personal opinion. He is an official, he is the Secretary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and that is how we perceive it," the Kremlim spokesman said.

Peskov also pointed out that NATO is directly involved in the Ukraine conflict, adding that the alliance is increasing the degree of escalation.

"The U.S.-led NATO bloc has not only been directly involved in a confrontation with Russia but is now falling into 'wartime ecstasy'. This is the reality we have to continue to deal with,” stressed Peskov. 

Russia repeatedly warned the West about allowing Ukraine to use supplied weapons to strike Russian territory over the past month, with some Western leaders having talked up the possibility.

The Russian military earlier launched military drills involving tactical nuclear weapons as a "response to provocative statements and threats of individual Western officials against the Russian Federation," according to the Defense Ministry.