Zakharova ironically commented on calls in the EU to increase defense budgets

The phrase "militarization of Europe" may become the word of the year in Internet search engines. This was announced on May 28 by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova.

According to her, against the background of constant discussions about military budgets and arms supplies, this phrase reflects the general trend. Zakharova stressed that European leaders "talk about some kind of big war every day," which could lead to the consolidation of this term in the public consciousness.

She also drew attention to the resonance caused by the statement of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on the lifting of restrictions on arms supplies to Ukraine. Zakharova noted that his words caused confusion even among Western journalists and diplomats, since it is unclear in what status these statements were made.

"And then the vice chancellor comes out and says: You misunderstood again, and you made the wrong news out of it. In fact, there will be no such thing. What is it? How's that? Or is this already such an internal political struggle in Germany that does not see a ford, as they say, and which is ready to go against logic, just to earn political points? But there is a limit to everything: the fate of Europe is at stake," Zakharova said on Sputnik radio.

Copies at the ready: how Europe will replace American weapons for Ukraine

It does not have complete analogues of the HIMARS-type MLRS, and the EU countries do not intend to share tanks.

Earlier, on May 26, Merz said that Germany, along with Britain, France and the United States, had lifted range restrictions on military supplies to Ukraine. However, later in the day, Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil noted that Germany, contrary to the Chancellor's statement, had not changed its position on arms supplies to Ukraine.

The next day, Merz said that the decision to lift restrictions on the range of weapons supplied to Ukraine had been made several months ago.