NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated today that there is no immediate threat from Russia to the territory of any Alliance member state, in the wake of Moscow’s warning regarding the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
The assessment of the Russian threat has not changed compared to three weeks ago, three months, or a year, Rutte said, despite Moscow’s warning to NATO in a document obtained by Reuters.
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In this document, Russia states that it would be prepared to resort to the use of nuclear weapons if NATO were to attempt to cut off the Kaliningrad enclave, which is located in the Baltic region between Poland and Lithuania.
NATO reacted with “composure,” Rutte said. “Basically, what we said was: Listen, we are a defensive alliance; stop the nuclear threat,” the NATO secretary general stated at a Euronews event in Brussels.
If Russia wanted to take action against Finland, Poland, or any other NATO member country, it would have been preceded by a buildup of military forces, Rutte noted. He emphasized that the U.S. remains committed to defending Europe with both conventional and nuclear means.
Meanwhile, NATO will continue its activities, such as supporting Ukraine and investing in its defense, the Alliance’s Secretary General stated.
Mark Rutte added that Russian President Vladimir Putin shows no interest in negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. “It takes two to tango,” he said. “So far, it doesn’t seem like Vladimir Putin wants to dance the tango,” he added, referring to diplomatic efforts to reach a peace agreement.
Source: CNA
