Jens Stoltenberg, who is completing his term as NATO secretary-general, believes that the alliance members should not refuse to provide more military aid to Ukraine because of Vladimir Putin's “reckless Russian nuclear rhetoric”. Stoltenberg said this in an interview with Reuters.

The still-former NATO secretary general was reacting to Putin's statement last week that Russia could use nuclear weapons if its territory was struck by long-range missiles.

“What we have seen is a pattern of reckless Russian nuclear rhetoric and messaging, and it (Putin's statement) fits into that pattern,” Stoltenberg said.

He recalled that every time the Alliance stepped up its support for Ukraine with new types of weapons - battle tanks, long-range systems or F-16 fighter jets - “the Russians tried to thwart us.”

“They have not succeeded, and this latest example should not prevent NATO allies from supporting Ukraine,” the secretary-general added.