NATO holds Steadfast Noon nuclear exercises in Italy amid Moscow warnings

NATO will begin its annual nuclear deterrence exercise Steadfast Noon on October 13, with Italy serving as the host country this year.

The announcement came several weeks after Moscow warned the alliance of its readiness to use nuclear weapons in connection with the situation around Kaliningrad.

The alliance described the exercises as “long-planned” and “routine.” Seventeen countries will take part, the overall scale is consistent with previous years, and no live weapons will be used.

“NATO is a defensive alliance. Exercises help us maintain a safe, secure, effective and credible capability to preserve peace, prevent coercion and deter aggression. They also send a clear signal of unity and resolve,” said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

According to the Associated Press, the exercises will last 10 days. Reuters, citing Italy’s defense ministry, reports that they will run from approximately October 13 to 20. Participation in Steadfast Noon rotates annually among allies — Italy is hosting the exercises for the sixth time.

A statement from the Italian Air Force says the exercises “do not involve the use of live munitions” and their purpose is “exclusively to test procedures, coordination and safety standards among allied forces.” The military also stressed that the exercises were “planned well in advance” and “are not linked to specific crises or current international events.”

Not everyone in Rome was reassured by these statements. According to the ANSA news agency, a number of Italian parliamentarians intend to submit a formal parliamentary inquiry about the exercises, arguing that their focus is on the use of American nuclear weapons stationed in Europe.

The exercises are taking place against a backdrop of tensions between Russia and the alliance. Russia warned NATO of its readiness to use nuclear weapons if the alliance attempts to cut off Kaliningrad, which has access to the Baltic Sea. In a document sent to NATO and reviewed by Reuters, Moscow accused the alliance of a “dangerous and reckless course” carrying “high risks of a direct armed conflict.”

NATO, for its part, stated that the exercises “are not linked to current world events and are not directed against any country.” According to AP, the main portion of the exercises will take place near Italy, far from Russian borders.

During Steadfast Noon, allied nation crews practice procedures for carrying out nuclear tasks on dual-capable aircraft, which can carry both conventional and nuclear weapons. According to Il Sole 24 Ore, the 2025 exercises involved 71 aircraft of 13 types.