Rutte: No imminent threat from Russia to NATO countries

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Wednesday that there is no imminent threat to the territory of NATO countries from Russia, in response to a warning issued by Moscow regarding the Russian region of Kaliningrad.

Rutte said the threat assessment concerning Russia has not changed compared to what it was three weeks, three months, and a year ago, despite the warning sent by Moscow to NATO in a document seen by Reuters.

Russia stated in the document that it would be prepared to resort to nuclear weapons if the Western alliance attempted to isolate the Baltic Sea region between Poland and Lithuania.

Rutte said NATO responded "with some calm." He added at an event organized by Euronews in Brussels, "In short, what we said was: 'Hey, listen, we are a defensive alliance and stop with the nuclear threats.'"

Rutte added that if Russia wanted to move against Finland, one of the Baltic states, Poland, or any other allied country, it would be preceded by a military buildup. He affirmed that the United States will continue its participation in defending Europe through conventional and nuclear means.

He said that NATO will simultaneously continue what it is doing, namely supporting Ukraine and investing in its defense.

He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin has no interest in negotiating to end the war in Ukraine.

He continued saying, "It can only be completed with two parties... and so far, it does not seem that Vladimir Putin is ready to negotiate a peace agreement."