NATO will begin its annual nuclear drill Steadfast Noon on Monday.

Steadfast Noon will begin next week in the Netherlands, and 71 aircraft representing 14 countries will take part. Officials from the Western Military Alliance announced this on Friday.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that the exercise "sends out a clear message to any potential enemy that we can and will protect and defend our allies from all threats."

Rutte's remarks were recorded in a video at the Volkel airbase, Netherlands. This was the main host for this year’s drill.

NATO has also announced that bases at Lakenheath, Britain, and Skrydstrup, Denmark, will be included.

Rutte stated that "we need to do this to ensure our nuclear deterrent is as credible, safe, secure and effective as possible."

NATO officials confirmed that the exercise did not involve nuclear weapons, but rather simulated scenarios where they might be used.

Russian officials have warned about the dangers of nuclear conflict with NATO since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. NATO has called such rhetoric irresponsible.

However, in recent weeks the tensions surrounding nuclear weapons have decreased. Last month, Russian president Vladimir Putin offered to extend for a year the New START Treaty's limits on strategic nuclear weapons deployed. The treaty expires in February.

Jim Stokes (NATO's Director of Nuclear Policy) told reporters in Brussels, that Steadfast Noon is "routine", and "not targeted at any country".

He added that the game was not based on any real-world event. (Reporting and Writing by Andrew Gray; Editing by Benoit VanOverstraeten & Aidan Lewis).

(source: Reuters)