Putin’s Nuclear Threats Shouldn’t Deter NATO From Supporting Ukraine, Says Stoltenberg

NATO members should not be discouraged from providing additional military aid to Ukraine by Vladimir Putin's "reckless Russian nuclear rhetoric," outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in an interview with Reuters on September 30.

Earlier on September 25, during the meeting of Russia’s Security Council, Putin announced expanded conditions to Russia's nuclear deterrence doctrine. He stated that in the "updated version of the document, aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear state, is proposed to be considered a joint attack on the Russian Federation."

"What we have seen is a pattern of reckless Russian nuclear rhetoric and messaging, and this fits into that pattern," Stoltenberg said.

"Every time we have stepped up our support with new types of weapons, battle tanks, long-range fires or F-16s, the Russians have tried to prevent us," Stoltenberg added. "They have not succeeded and also this latest example should not prevent NATO allies from supporting Ukraine."

Stoltenberg emphasized that the greatest risk to NATO would be if Putin achieves victory in Ukraine.

"Then the message will be that when he used military force, but also when he threatened NATO allies, then he gets what he wants and that will make us all more vulnerable," he said. "In a war, there are no risk-free options."

In recent months, Ukraine has been calling on its allies to allow using its long-range weapons to strike military targets deep inside Russia.