NATO chief: Alliance stands firm against Putin's threats
"We will not be intimidated," said the new NATO Secretary General, who addressed Vladimir Putin. He stressed that the Alliance is capable of facing any threat.
"NATO will not be intimidated by Russian threats and will maintain strong support for Kyiv," said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. "The message to Vladimir Putin is that we will do whatever is necessary for Ukraine to win," he noted in a conversation with Reuters.
He stressed that NATO is ready to face any threat, while also pointing out that the Alliance is a defensive organization, not an offensive one.
The interview took place at the headquarters of the new mission supporting Kyiv—NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) at the U.S. Clay Barracks in Wiesbaden, Germany.
NATO exercises
The North Atlantic Alliance began its annual Steadfast Noon nuclear exercises on Monday, involving over 60 aircraft that will conduct flights over Western Europe for two weeks. The exercises include fighter jets and bombers capable of carrying U.S. nuclear warheads.
According to the new NATO Secretary General, there is currently no direct threat of nuclear weapons use by Russia despite Putin's threats. "It is true that Putin's nuclear rhetoric is reckless and irresponsible, but let me be absolutely clear—we do not see any direct threat of nuclear weapon use," he said.
He added that Putin wants to talk about his nuclear arsenal and wants NATO to discuss it too. "I think we shouldn't do that. We should just recognize that there is no direct threat," Rutte added, emphasizing that if the Alliance succumbed to Putin's threats and, for example, reduced support for Ukraine, it would create a precedent, meaning that mere threats of military force could allow Russia to achieve its goals.
