Key facts
- NATO will conduct its annual nuclear exercise, Steadfast Noon, in Italy from Oct. 13-23.
- Seventeen allied nations will participate in the exercise.
- The exercise involves simulated alerts and live flights but no live nuclear weapons.
- NATO aims to reassure Russia that the drill is routine and poses no threat.
- Tensions are high following a recent exchange of letters between Moscow and NATO.
NATO is working to de-escalate tensions with Russia ahead of its annual nuclear exercise, Steadfast Noon, which is scheduled to take place in Italy from October 13-23. The alliance aims to reassure Moscow that the drill, involving 17 allies, is a routine training event and not a cause for concern.
Nassima Barrows, NATO's nuclear policy director, emphasized that the exercise is predictable and intended to ensure the safety and security of the alliance's nuclear capabilities. This reassurance comes after a tense exchange of letters between Moscow and NATO, following allied exercises near Russia's Kaliningrad exclave in August. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte had previously rebuked Russia's threats to use its nuclear arsenal.