Putin Slams NATO War Warnings as 'Pure Nonsense,' Accuses West of Hysteria

• Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed NATO chief Mark Rutte's "major war" warnings as "pure nonsense" and "hysteria."
• Putin accused Western leaders of deliberately stoking fear among Europeans to justify increased military spending.
• NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had urged alliance members to prepare for a large-scale conflict, warning against complacency.
• Rutte emphasized the urgency for NATO members to rapidly increase defense spending and military production.
• Putin reiterated Russia's commitment to achieving its goals in Ukraine, preferring diplomacy but ready to use military force for territorial claims if talks fail.

Why It Matters: Putin rejects NATO's war warnings, calling them Western-fueled hysteria for military spending.