The defence minister, Theo Francken (Flemish nationalist N-VA), took to social media this morning to respond to an insult directed at him by Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president.
Former Russian President Medvedev calls Belgian defence minister Francken an ‘imbecile’
Colin Clapson
Published:
Updated:
Yesterday on X, Medvedev labelled Francken an ‘imbecile’ after Francken had said in an interview with Flemish weekly Humo that NATO would ‘annihilate Moscow’ if President Putin fired a missile at Brussels.
Earlier this week, Russia tested the Poseidon system, a new nuclear “super torpedo”. If they had carried out that test in Belgium, ‘Belgium would have disappeared,’ Medvedev wrote.
Francken responded via Instagram. ‘Russia's chief bully never stops threatening and insulting. (...) The “strike back” principle of our NATO alliance has been undisputed for 76 years. It is the foundation of our defence. That is what I meant in the HUMO interview, and I stand by every word.’