NATO’s stern warning to Russia. If Moscow uses nuclear weapons in Ukraine, the consequences will be severe, said the head of the North Atlantic Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg.

He did not want to say what these consequences would be, but said that “the character of the conflict will radically change.”

“There will be serious consequences if Russia uses nuclear weapons in Ukraine, any nuclear weapon. I won’t go into the exact details of how we would respond, but a nuclear strike would fundamentally change the nature of the conflict. This means that a very important line has been crossed,” he said.

He added that NATO’s fundamental goal of nuclear deterrence and peacekeeping, and thus the circumstances under which it might have to use nuclear weapons, are “extremely remote.”

Stoltenberg also said NATO would remain “very vigilant” in the coming weeks as it, like Russia, conducts nuclear exercises.

Soltenberg’s statements take place in the context of the fact that on Wednesday the official representative of NATO said thata Russian nuclear strike would “almost certainly” trigger a “physical response” from Ukraine’s allies and possibly NATO.

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