The general secretary of the NATO, Jens Stoltenberghas described as “dangerous” and “irresponsible” the “reckless nuclear rhetoric“of the Russian president Vladimir Putinbecause, together with the illegal annexation of several Ukrainian territories and the partial mobilization of 300,000 reservists, it constitutes the “climbing important since the beginning of the war” on February 24. The Norwegian leader, however, has made it clear that the allied organization is prepared to respond to any threat and remains vigilant. “Russia knows that nuclear war will not can be won and should never be fought. We closely follow Russia’s nuclear forces. We have not seen any change in Russia’s position, but we remain vigilant & rdquor ;, he said on the eve of a new meeting of defense ministers of allied countries this Wednesday and Thursday in Brussels
Although the level of the nuclear threat, which NATO assesses daily, has not increased, the warning coincides with the holding this Thursday of a regular meeting of the nuclear planning group, focused on nuclear deterrence, and the announcement of a new nuclear deterrence exercise routine – named ‘Steadyfast Noon’– which will take place next week. In itself, combat aircraft capable of carrying nuclear warheads participate, although without real bombs. Conventional, surveillance and refueling aircraft also regularly participate. Despite veiled threats from the Kremlin about the possible use of nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war, NATO has ruled out canceling the exercise that was planned before the Russian aggression. “Now is the time to be firm and clear that NATO is here to protect and defend all allies. It is an exercise planned for a long time, before the invasion of Ukraine. If we canceled it, we would be sending an absolutely wrong signal & rdquor ;, Stoltenberg has justified insisting that maintaining the exercise is the best way to avoid an escalation.
“If we now create the basis for any misunderstanding or miscalculation in Moscow about our will to protect and defend all allies, we would increase the risk of escalation and that is the last thing we will do & rdquor ;, he added about maneuvers aimed at maintaining a “safe and effective deterrence”, which are repeated every year and in which 14 countries of the 30 allied countries participate. The ministerial meeting this Wednesday and Thursday, ordinary but which comes at a critical geostrategic moment, according to allied sources, will also allow the NATO countries to assess the level of protection of critical infrastructurein light of the recent sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, and close ranks again with Ukraine.
Reznikov, in Brussels
The Ukrainian defense minister will also attend the working dinner this Wednesday, Oleksii Reznikovto explain the situation on the ground and specify the military equipment and armament needs of kyiv, which will be examined both within the framework of the ministerial meeting and in the previous contact group for Ukraine led by the United States and in which more than fifty countries participate. In recent days countries like Germany and the United States have announced their intention to provide more advanced air defense systems and other capabilities that become relevant in light of the latest bombers over kyiv.
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“Our message is clear. NATO is with Ukraine. All the time needed. President Putin started this war and he must end it by withdrawing his forces from Ukraine. And President (Alelsandr) Lukashenko must put an end to Belarus’s complicity in this illegal conflict & rdquor ;, warned Stoltenberg who has promised to continue strengthening Ukraine so that it can continue to defend itself and liberate territory from Russian occupation. “That is why we have used the reserves of the NATO allied countries, to provide support to Ukraine. But the longer this war continues, the more important it will be that we are able to replenish the reserves & rdquor ;, he explained about reserves that, as they admit allied sources, are running out.In this area, the allied leader is confident that defense ministers will make decisions this week on how to use the NATO defense planning process to agree on more ambitious targets for capabilities and interoperability. “It is the best tool to ensure that the allies are coordinated and really provide the long-term means & rdquor ;, he has said.
According to the analysis of the Secretary General of NATO, the latest “indiscriminate attacks by Russia & rdquor; against the civilian population actually show the Kremlin weakness. “What we saw yesterday is a sign of weakness because the reality is that they have not been able to make progress on the battlefield.” Moreover, “Ukraine has the momentum and continues to make significant progress” while “Russia increasingly resorts to horrific and indiscriminate attacks against the civilian population and critical infrastructure & rdquor ;. All this shows in the eyes of the highest allied representative that “Putin is failing in Ukraine & rdquor; and that the “war is not developing as planned & rdquor ;.