NATO sees no need to change nuclear alert level

NATO’s chief said Tuesday the alliance sees no need to change its nuclear weapons alert level, despite Russia’s threats.

The alliance’s secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, spoke to The Associated Press following talks on European security with Polish President Andrzej Duda. They met at an air base in Lask, central Poland, where NATO’s Polish and US fighter jets are based.

“We will always do what is needed to protect and defend our allies, but we don’t think there is any need now to change the alert levels of NATO’s nuclear forces,” Stoltenberg said.

The Kremlin has raised the spectre of nuclear war, reporting on Monday that its land, air and sea nuclear forces were on high alert following President Vladimir Putin’s weekend order. NATO itself has no nuclear weapons, but three of its members, the United States, Britain and France, do.

Stoltenberg stressed that Russia has signed a number of agreements, agreeing that nuclear war cannot be won and should not be fought.

The United States recently reinforced the eastern flank of NATO’s territory with some 5,000 additional troops.