BERLIN (Reuters) -NATO chief Mark Rutte said the success earlier this month of the military alliance's annual nuclear exercise gave him "absolute confidence in the credibility of NATO's nuclear
NATO's Rutte Affirms Strong Deterrent After Successful Nuclear Drills
NATO's Nuclear Deterrent and Global Security
BERLIN (Reuters) -NATO chief Mark Rutte said the success earlier this month of the military alliance's annual nuclear exercise gave him "absolute confidence in the credibility of NATO's nuclear deterrence" in the face of Russian threats.
Response to Russian Threats
"When Russia is using dangerous and reckless nuclear rhetoric, our populations must know that there is no need to panic, because NATO has a strong nuclear deterrent," he was quoted as saying by German weekly Welt am Sonntag.
Implications of Nuclear Exercises
"And (Russian President Vladimir) Putin must know that nuclear war can never be won and must never be fought.”
Public Confidence in NATO
Putin has repeatedly warned the West of potential nuclear consequences since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Strategic Defense Posture
He declared last month that Russia could use nuclear weapons if it was struck with conventional missiles, and that Moscow would consider any assault on it supported by a nuclear power to be a joint attack.
(Reporting by Sarah Marsh; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
