Mark Rutte warns Putin against initiating nuclear conflict
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte responds to Russian dictator's nuclear threats (Photo: REUTERS/Yves Herman)
Vladimir Putin must remember that nuclear war must never start, as it cannot be won, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned in an interview with the Sunday edition of Die Welt on Nov. 9.
His comments came amid Putin’s statements about possible nuclear weapons tests in response to U.S. plans.
Rutte emphasized the importance of NATO’s nuclear capability for the alliance’s security. He said NATO’s nuclear deterrent is the main guarantee of safety, making it crucial that these forces remain “reliable, safe, and effective.”
According to Rutte, recent NATO nuclear exercises were successful, providing “absolute confidence in the reliability of NATO’s nuclear deterrent.”
“This sends a clear signal to any adversary that NATO can and will defend all allies against all threats,” he said.
Rutte stressed that NATO countries should more actively explain the role of nuclear deterrence to the public. He said that if Russia resorts to dangerous and reckless nuclear rhetoric, the public should know there is no reason to panic, as NATO has strong deterrent forces that “maintain peace, prevent coercion, and deter aggression.”
On Nov. 5, the Vandenberg Space Force Base press office said the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command conducted a test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
On Oct. 26, Russia announced a test of the long-range 9M730 Burevestnik cruise missile with a nuclear propulsion unit. Reuters later reported, citing Norwegian intelligence, that the missile was launched from the Arctic archipelago of Novaya Zemlya in the Barents Sea.
On Oct. 29, Putin also announced the “successful” test of the Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater vehicle.
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