NATO Condemns ‘Nuclear Rhetoric’ in Tense Exchange With Russia

NATO condemned Russian nuclear threats after publicly acknowledging a tense exchange with Moscow over its exclave of Kaliningrad.

The military alliance replied to a Russian message by “noting that NATO is a defensive alliance and none of our activities or exercises pose a risk to any part of Russia,” spokeswoman Allison Hart said in a written statement on Tuesday. “We strongly denounce the threat of force, including any irresponsible nuclear rhetoric,” she said.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was responding to a warning issued by the Russian embassy in Belgium that the alliance’s “reckless and irresponsible approach” regarding Kaliningrad “sharply increases the risks of a direct military confrontation,” the state-run Tass news agency reported on Monday. Russia also warned it was ready to use its entire arsenal of weapons to defend its Baltic territory if the alliance tried to cut it off from the rest of the country.

The message was sent to both NATO and the Belgian foreign ministry and called on “the bloc’s member states to refrain from further escalatory rhetoric and actions in order to prevent a large-scale confrontation,” TASS said.

The unusually direct exchange underscores the deep tensions in relations between the alliance and Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022. That’s especially true as European officials and intelligence services have been warning of an intensifying hybrid campaign directed from Moscow, which they increasingly think could result in civilian casualties.

It was unclear what specifically prompted Russia’s statement, though widely reported NATO air exercises held in Poland and the Baltic states near Kaliningrad in mid-August may have played a role.

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“Russia’s use of hybrid tactics is a sign of desperation,” Hart said in her statement. “We will not be dissuaded from our support to Ukraine. We have what it takes to defend every inch of allied territory and remain strong, ready, and able to counter any threat,” she said.

NATO has said it has increased its vigilance regarding Russian sabotage and covert activities. While the treaty organization lets countries respond individually, it insists the alliance is taking a more proactive approach, without specifying what that entails.