Enhanced NATO nuclear sharing will lead to higher proliferation risks

By Guo Xiaobing

On the eve of the 2026 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Ankara, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte claimed NATO could not afford to be “naive” about China and hyped up the so-called threat stemming from “China’s massive nuclear build-up.” Ironically, NATO turns a blind eye to its own nuclear expansion and nuclear proliferation activities.

About three weeks ago, the Nuclear Planning Group, NATO’s senior body in charge of nuclear sharing affairs, released its first ministerial statement on nuclear deterrence since 2007. It announced that NATO would continue to boost its nuclear sharing capacity by investing in necessary resources, capabilities and forces.