NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is fueling tensions with Russia with his revelation that the US-led military bloc is considering putting more nuclear weapons on standby, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
Consultations between member nations on moving some warheads from stockpile to combat readiness are ongoing, the NATO chief told The Telegraph on Sunday. He said the bloc may soon “face something that it has never faced before, and that is two nuclear-powered potential adversaries – China and Russia” and therefore needs to send the foes a message.
Putin addressed the issue during a meeting with foreign media earlier this month. He said he believed nuclear-armed nations should abstain from issuing nuclear threats, but said that Western nations delude themselves if they expect Russia not to follow its own nuclear doctrine.
“If someone’s actions pose a threat to our sovereignty and territorial integrity, we consider ourselves in the right to use all means at our disposal,” he said. “This issue must not be treated lightly.”
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