Belgium's Minister of Defense, Theo Franken, addressed the recent controversy surrounding his statement about NATO's response to potential threats from Russia. In response to a question about whether Putin would target Brussels, Franken emphasized that NATO would respond firmly by aiming weapons at Moscow.

After the interview in De Morgen, media headlines sensationalized the situation, prompting the Russian Embassy in Belgium to condemn the remarks. The Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, went as far as issuing a warning about potential military tests near Belgium in response to the perceived threat.