NATO begins its annual nuclear exercise on Monday, amid increasingly frequent threats from Russian president Vladimir Putin to use nuclear weapons in the context of the war in Ukraine. After the end of the Cold War, NATO’s nuclear capacity was no longer a priority. Following Ukraine’s invasion by Russia and after the latter’s clear threats, NATO changed its approach, with former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg often saying NATO’s nuclear power is an element of deterrence. NATO sources said the exercise is not in response to Moscow’s threats, as such drills have been held every year for more than a decade. The operation, which is hosted by Belgium and The Netherlands and lasts two weeks, brings together 60 planes from 13 different countries and 2,000 military.
