Stoltenberg: Putin’s nuclear threats should not deter NATO from helping Ukraine
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin 's "nuclear rhetoric" should not deter NATO member states from providing additional military assistance to Ukraine.
This was stated by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in an interview with Reuters, Censor.NET reports.
Thus, he commented on Putin's statement that Russia could use nuclear weapons if its territory is attacked by long-range missiles.
"What we have seen is a pattern of reckless Russian nuclear rhetoric and messages, and this (Putin's statement - Ed.) fits into that pattern," Stoltenberg said.
According to the NATO Secretary General, every time the Alliance has stepped up its support for Ukraine with new weapons - battle tanks, F-16 fighters or long-range systems - "the Russians have tried to thwart us".
"They have not succeeded, and this latest example should not deter NATO allies from supporting Ukraine," Stoltenberg added.
Earlier, dictator Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting of the Security Council's permanent meeting on nuclear deterrence and expanded the list of conditions under which Russia could use nuclear weapons.
He proposed, in particular, to consider a massive air attack by non-nuclear means, including drones, as a basis for a nuclear strike.
