NATO chief sees no risk of Russian nuclear strike
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Sept. 30 that he does not take seriously Russia’s threats to use nuclear weapons if alliance members attempt to isolate the Kaliningrad exclave.
On September 30, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated that he does not consider Russia's threats of using nuclear weapons against NATO members to be a serious risk. The remarks came during a briefing in Brussels at the Euronews Defence & Space Summit 2026. When asked if Russia posed a genuine threat of launching a nuclear strike, Rutte replied, "No, there isn't."
Rutte emphasized that the Russian military, under President Vladimir Putin, could not defeat NATO militarily. He reiterated that Putin knows NATO cannot be defeated, and thus, he does not take Russia's threats seriously. The NATO chief, however, did not rule out any response to Russia's nuclear threats, which were reportedly conveyed in an unofficial letter. Rutte declined to disclose the content of the letter, citing his lack of authority, and suggested that reporters trust media coverage.
NATO responded to the threats with a brief and direct message, reminding Russia that it is a defensive alliance and urging Moscow to abandon its nuclear threats, considering them inappropriate and counterproductive. The alliance also called for an end to Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine. Rutte stressed that NATO countries must not only bolster their own defenses but also maintain their support for Ukraine.
He accused Putin of using letters and hybrid actions to create divisions among the allies and divert attention from the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Rutte concluded by stating that in response to any hybrid actions, NATO will continue to provide more support for Ukraine, not less.
Written by urgent.news from New Voice of Ukraine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
