Zakharova: Europe would be safer without NATO

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Europe would be safer without NATO, comparing the alliance to a "bad tooth" that weakens the continent's immune system. She made the remarks in response to criticism of Moscow's calls to reorganize European security architecture. Zakharova was answering German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said there is no reason to discuss European security issues with Russia, according to state news agency TASS. European leaders recently rejected a Moscow proposal at a summit in Dublin. The comments come as international media focus on an upcoming meeting between Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, and Vladimir Putin in China on November 19, though discussion of the Ukraine war is considered unlikely.