Overview
- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance will place greater emphasis on explaining its nuclear deterrent to strengthen credibility with adversaries and the public.
- Rutte urged citizens not to panic over nuclear rhetoric, calling NATO’s nuclear posture credible, reliable and effective.
- Addressing Moscow directly, he stated that a nuclear war can never be won and must never be fought.
- Rutte said October’s Steadfast Noon exercise sent a clear signal of resolve and gave him absolute confidence in NATO’s deterrence.
- Context for his remarks included Russia’s order to study the advisability of preparing for nuclear tests and a TASS report that President Trump told the Pentagon to resume testing without specifying the type.