NATO's Nuclear Warning to Russia Sounds Firm. The Credibility Gap Is Harder to Close

Geopolitics | Rutte's warning sounds firm, but Russia's nuclear drills expose the unresolved question of what NATO would actually do next

DefenseHub · Monday · Geopolitics · May 25, 2026

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NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned on May 20 that any Russian use of nuclear weapons against Ukraine would trigger a "devastating" alliance response. The statement came one day after Russia and Belarus launched joint nuclear drills involving Strategic Missile Forces, both the Northern and Pacific fle…