Moscow has responded to the alleged ‘Jesus’ remark of NATO Chief Mark Rutte for the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, saying that the Rutte’s jibe means he was appreciating Russian top diplomat’s work.
Russian spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Thursday said, "Rutte was not comparing Lavrov to Jesus Christ, but rather he praised the work that Russia’s top diplomat has been doing in times of war with Ukraine."
Rutte on Wednesday made a controversial remark when he was quoted as saying, “he (Lavrov) has been foreign minister of Russia … since the birth of Jesus Christ. And since then, nothing… useful came out of his mouth.”
“Not for nothing has Sergey Lavrov been working for so many years since he has made the NATO Secretary General remember Jesus Christ,” responded Zakharova in an indirect jibe at the NATO chief. Lavrov is a seasoned diplomat with over 20 years of experience in the foreign ministry.
Also Read: NATO chief Rutte meets Trump in Florida, alliance confirms
Rutte, during the annual NATO summit in The Hague, called Donald Trump “daddy” as he was having a candid conversation with the US president. This was the second time in less than a week when the NATO chief made such a sarcastic comment.
Rutte, a former Dutch minister, has allegedly been at the centre of controversy for flattering Donald Trump, which has not gone well with some bloc members.
One NATO official told reporters on the sidelines of the event that “People are so embarrassed. The lapping up was pretty over the top.”
It happened after Rutte called Trump “daddy” during the summit and sent him a gushing message praising the US attack on Iran's nuclear sites ahead of the summit.
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