NATO in talks to deploy more nuclear weapons amid growing threat posed by Russia and China

NATO could deploy more nuclear weapons in the face of the growing threat posed by Russia and China, according to the alliance's leader.

Jens Stoltenberg, the 13th secretary general of NATO, revealed that there had been live discussions between members about removing the missiles from storage and putting them on standby to act as a deterrent.

Speaking to the Telegraph, Mr Stoltenberg said: “I won't go into operational detail on how many nuclear warheads should be operational and which should be stockpiled, but we need to consult on these issues. This is exactly what we do.

It comes as the head of kyiv's National Security Council said Putin could demand a tactical nuclear weapon be used if the Russian military was defeated in Ukraine.

Oleksandr Lytvynenko made the comments after G7 leaders warned that any use by Russia of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons would lead to “serious consequences”, the Times reported.

Meanwhile, Stoltenberg warned Brussels about the Chinese threat, adding that nuclear transparency should form the basis of NATO's nuclear strategy to prepare the alliance for the dangers of the world.

“NATO's goal is, of course, a world without nuclear weapons, but as long as nuclear weapons exist, we will remain a nuclear alliance, because a world in which Russia, China and North Korea possess nuclear weapons, and NATO does not have any, is a more dangerous world,” he said.

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Stoltenberg said China is investing heavily in modern weapons, including its nuclear arsenal, which the secretary-general said could reach 1,000 by 2030.

He insisted that the United States and its European allies were modernizing their nuclear deterrent because of the increased threat from Russia.

“The United States is modernizing its gravity bombs for the nuclear warheads it has in Europe and European allies are modernizing aircraft that will be dedicated to NATO's nuclear mission,” he said.

It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday accused Russia of not wanting peace, after Putin said he would only agree to a ceasefire if Ukraine agreed to end its NATO membership plans.

Zelensky made the accusation at the end of a major diplomatic summit in Switzerland attended by more than 90 countries, making it the largest gathering of support for Ukraine since the invasion began.

The conference saw the vast majority of the 90 countries present sign a communiqué in support of Ukraine's sovereignty and also called on Putin to return children stolen during the invasion.