Belgium’s Defence Minister Theo Francken warned that if Russia were to launch a missile strike on Brussels — the centre of NATO — the alliance would respond decisively, bluntly saying that “if Moscow fires a missile at Brussels, we will wipe Moscow off the map.” In an interview with Flemish daily De Morgen, reported by international outlets, Francken dismissed European doubts about United States commitment to Article 5, citing President Donald Trump’s pledge of full backing for NATO allies. He announced about 600 F-35 jets would be deployed across Europe, arguing those aircraft pose detection challenges for Russian forces. Francken cautioned against underestimating Russia’s military-industrial capacity and said Moscow has increased munitions production. He warned a potential Russia–China alignment could challenge the West and stressed the need for unity and stronger European defence coordination. His remarks underscore rising tensions, NATO deterrence postures and political debates over defence preparedness in Europe.