NATO Chief: We Are Negotiating to Put Nuclear Weapons on 'High Alert'

Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO chief, told the British newspaper Daily Telegraph on Monday, June 18, that the military alliance is negotiating to deploy more nuclear weapons, remove them from storage, and put them on high alert in response to the increasing threat from Russia and China. He stated, "NATO's goal is, of course, a world free of nuclear weapons. But as long as nuclear weapons exist, we will remain a nuclear alliance, because a world where Russia, China, and North Korea have nuclear weapons and NATO does not is a more dangerous world." Stoltenberg had said last week that nuclear weapons are the "ultimate security guarantee" and a means to ensure peace. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly warned that in difficult conditions, Moscow could use nuclear weapons to defend itself, stating that the billions of dollars in aid from the U.S. and its allies to Ukraine are pushing the world towards nuclear confrontation. NATO typically does not publicly discuss its weapons, but it is now clear that the United States has deployed its nuclear bombs at several locations in Europe. Moscow immediately reacted to these statements, stating that the result of such negotiations would only be "escalation of tension." Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, noted that Stoltenberg's remarks seem to contradict a statement made at a conference over the weekend in Switzerland, which deemed any threats or use of nuclear weapons regarding Ukraine as unacceptable. The Ukraine peace summit held last weekend in Switzerland was conducted without an invitation to Moscow. NATO quickly clarified Stoltenberg's remarks, stating that there has been no significant change in the nuclear posture of the alliance. Farah Dehghani, NATO's spokesperson, said, "NATO is committed to ensuring a safe, secure, and effective nuclear deterrent... For this purpose, we have an ongoing modernization program to replace old weapons and aircraft. Beyond that, there is no significant change in our nuclear deterrence."