Rutte commented on the risk of a Russian strike on NATO countries

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that the alliance currently sees no immediate military threat to its territory from Russia. NATO is ready to respond in case of an attack on any member country.

Rutte said this on September 30 in an interview with Euronews during the Defence & Space Summit in Brussels.

«We will defend every inch of NATO territory. There is no such threat now, but if something happens, we are ready to counter it», — said the alliance's secretary general.

The statement came amid Russian threats related to the Kaliningrad region. It was previously reported that Moscow sent NATO a document warning of the possible use of its entire arsenal, including nuclear weapons, in the event of an attempt to isolate or attack the Russian exclave.

Rutte refused to confirm the contents of the Russian document, noting that Moscow itself should disclose it. He said he does not consider Russian nuclear warnings as evidence of immediate preparations for escalation against the Baltic states.

The Secretary General stressed that NATO is a defensive alliance, and called on Russia to stop nuclear threats and the war against Ukraine. According to him, Moscow will not be able to defeat NATO in a direct military confrontation.

Rutte also linked the intensification of Russian rhetoric to the situation in the war against Ukraine. In his assessment, the Kremlin is trying to divert allies' attention from supporting Kyiv and create divisions within the alliance.

NATO continues to strengthen its own defense. According to the alliance's official position, there is currently no immediate military threat to NATO's security, but after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, bloc countries have significantly reinforced the eastern flank and maintain hundreds of thousands of troops in high readiness.

Rutte called on NATO countries to remain calm, continue military support for Ukraine, and simultaneously increase investments in their own defense.