PremiumRussian President Vladimir Putin would be crossing a “very important line” if he were to order the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned Thursday
In light of upcoming nuclear drills between Russia and the military alliance, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday that use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine would be crossing a "very important line."
Next week, NATO will conduct its "Steadfast Noon" exercise. The meticulously prepared manoeuvres take place every year at roughly the same time and last for about a week. They don't involve any live bombs, but they do involve fighter jets that can transport nuclear warheads.
NATO anticipates Moscow's nuclear force exercise sometime this month. Russia typically conducts its own exercises around the same time. Stoltenberg said NATO will “closely monitor" what Russia is up to.
Asked what NATO would do if Russia launched a nuclear attack, Stoltenberg said: “We will not go into exactly how we will respond, but of course this will fundamentally change the nature of the conflict. It will mean that a very important line has been crossed."
He added that “even any use of a smaller nuclear weapon will be a very serious thing, fundamentally changing the nature of the war in Ukraine, and of course that would have consequences."
Stoltenberg's remarks came after a meeting of NATO's secretive Nuclear Planning Group. The meeting was held among defense ministers in Brussels, as concerns deepen over Putin’s insistence that he will use any means necessary to defend Russian territory.
The meeting, which typically takes place once or twice a year, took place against a background of intense tension as some NATO allies, led by the US, provided Ukraine with cutting-edge weapons and munitions to defend itself against Russian aerial attacks.
Although Russia has not yet altered its nuclear posture, NATO is closely monitoring its movements in its conflict with Ukraine. Putin's nuclear drills, however, might make it harder for NATO to discern what Russia's intentions may be, potentially raising the risk of an accident.
UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told reporters Wednesday, “Russia will also be conducting its annual exercise, I think, the week after or just after the annual exercise." But “what we don’t want is to do things out of routine," he added.
“This is a routine exercise and it’s all about readiness," Wallace said, just as “NATO’s meeting is all about making sure we are ready for anything. I mean, that is the job of this alliance — to make sure that the 30 partners together are ready for what is thrown at us. And we have to continue to work at that."
"Steadfast Noon," which was conceived before Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, will involve 14 NATO members. The majority of the exercises will take place over 1,000 kilometres (625 miles) away from Russia.
NATO as an organization lacks any weapons. The United States, the United Kingdom, and France continue to have complete control over the nuclear weapons that are ostensibly associated with the alliance. France, however, is adamant about preserving its nuclear autonomy and refuses to attend meetings of the Nuclear Planning Group.
In response to Ukrainian forces using Western weapons and forcing the Russian army to retreat in some areas, Putin raised the stakes by annexing four Ukrainian regions and ordering a partial mobilisation to shore up the eroding front line.
Putin has repeatedly hinted that he might use nuclear weapons to defend the Russian gains as his war plans have gone awry. Additionally, the threat is intended to deter NATO members from supplying Ukraine with more advanced weapons.
French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview with France 2 television that France wouldn't retaliate with a nuclear attack. and emphasised that leaders have obligations when using nuclear rhetoric. He claimed to have talked to Putin "multiple times."
“We have a (nuclear) doctrine, which is clear," Macron said. “The dissuasion is working. But then, the less we talk about it, the less we brandish the threat, the more credible we are."
“Too many people are talking about it," he said.
(With inputs from AP)