NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has expressed 'absolute confidence in the credibility of NATO's nuclear deterrence' following the successful completion of the military alliance's annual nuclear exercise. This assertion comes amidst growing concerns stemming from Russia's aggressive nuclear threats, particularly since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. According to Welt am Sonntag, a German weekly, Rutte stated that such exercises are crucial in reassuring NATO populations that there is no need for panic, as the alliance possesses a potent nuclear deterrent against Russian aggression. The statement also serves as a direct message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, warning him that initiating a nuclear conflict would be futile and unwinnable. Putin has been vocal about the potential deployment of nuclear weapons in response to conventional missile strikes on Russia. In recent developments, he declared his intention to view any nuclear-armed support for an assault on Russia as a joint attack.