NATO boss Jens Stoltenberg calls for China to face consequences in worrying WW3 warning
The NATO Secretary General warned that China's support for Russia will have consequences.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg issued a stark warning regarding China's increasing support for Russia and its growing nuclear arsenal. He suggested that the Western allies may need to impose significant consequences if Beijing continues its current trajectory.
Speaking at the Wilson Center in Washington, Stoltenberg said that "Beijing can't have it both ways", referring to supporting Russia while maintaining cordial relations with the West.
"At some point unless China changes its course," he said. "Allies need to impose a cost." This warning comes amid consultations among NATO member countries regarding the potential need to put nuclear weapons on alert.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Stoltenberg highlighted the importance of transparency on this issue.
"I will not go into the operational details of how many nuclear warheads should be operational and how to store them, but we need to consult on these issues", he said. "That's exactly what we do."
The secretary general reiterated that NATO remains a nuclear alliance to ensure a balanced global power structure, especially given the nuclear capabilities of Russia, China, and North Korea.
"NATO's goal is to have a world without nuclear weapons, but as long as there are nuclear weapons, we will remain a nuclear alliance, because a world where Russia, China, and North Korea have nuclear weapons and NATO does not, is a dangerous world," he said.
Stoltenberg also expressed particular concern over China's substantial investments in advanced weaponry and its intention to increase its nuclear warheads to 1,000 by 2030.
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"This means that in the near future, NATO may face an unprecedented situation – two potential nuclear adversaries in the face of China and Russia. This will have consequences," he warned.
In response to these growing threats, Stoltenberg noted that the United States and its European allies are currently upgrading their nuclear arsenals.
"The US is upgrading its gravity bombs for the nuclear warheads it has deployed in Europe, and European allies are upgrading aircraft intended for NATO's nuclear mission," he said.
The UK has approximately 40 of its 225 nuclear warheads operational, while the US possesses 1,700 active warheads, with an additional 3,700 in reserve. Notably, France maintains independence in its nuclear deterrence strategy and does not contribute its nuclear arsenal to NATO.
