NATO sees no immediate threat to Alliance territory and views Russia’s latest intimidation as an attempt to divert attention from its difficulties in the war against Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said.
Rutte’s remarks came amid media reports about a letter allegedly received from Russia, in which Moscow reportedly warned that it was prepared to use its entire arsenal, including nuclear weapons, if NATO member states attempted to isolate Russia’s Kaliningrad region or cut it off from the country’s mainland territory.
Rutte declined to confirm the contents of the reported letter but urged Russia to stop its nuclear threats, stressing that NATO remains fully prepared to defend its allies.
“We have prepared for this, and this concerns the whole of NATO. We will defend every inch of NATO territory. There is no such threat, but if anything happens, we are ready to respond,” Rutte said.
The NATO chief said he did not take such threats seriously as an indication that Russia could prevail in a confrontation with the Alliance.
“Everyone knows that he [Vladimir Putin] will never be able to defeat NATO. I do not take this seriously. But, of course, we have to respond and make clear that NATO is a defensive alliance. The war in Ukraine must stop, and the nuclear threats must end,” Rutte said.
According to the Secretary General, the Kremlin’s latest escalation in rhetoric reflects the fact that the war against Ukraine is not going in Moscow’s favor. He said Russia was seeking to divide NATO allies and divert their attention.
According to NATO figures, the Russian military is losing around 43,000 troops every month on the battlefield, either killed or seriously wounded. At the same time, the Alliance assesses Kyiv’s position as stronger than it was a year ago, while Ukraine’s partners continue to provide military assistance.
Rutte urged NATO member states to remain calm, increase defense investment and continue supporting Ukraine.
