Austin's "successor" supported the retention of U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe

 Candidate for the post of U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegset advocated the preservation of the American nuclear arsenal in NATO countries.

This is stated in the written answers of the candidate for the post of head of the Pentagon to the questions of the members of the Committee on the Affairs of the Armed Forces of the Senate of the United States Congress.

Hegset called nuclear weapons an important element connecting the United States with European allies.

"NATO, as a nuclear alliance, plays a key role in containing conflicts and countering threats against the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance," Hegset said.

Hegset stressed that the United States has been deploying nuclear weapons in NATO countries for decades. According to him, this is the fundamental principle of load distribution within the alliance.

"Given that NATO is facing nuclear rhetoric from Russia, the presence of American nuclear weapons is becoming critical. This is not only a political and strategic factor, but also an important military support for the European allies of the United States," he added.

U.S. nuclear weapons have been stationed in NATO countries in Europe since the 1950s, the alliance itself does not have nuclear weapons. Such a step was considered as the preparation of a response in case a large-scale conflict with the countries of the Warsaw Pact led by the USSR begins.

Nuclear weapons are stored at Aviano and Gedi air bases (Italy), Buhel (Germany), Incirlik (Turkey), Klein Brogel (Belgium) and Folkel (Netherlands). Non-strategic nuclear weapons are placed here - about 100 free-fall bombs B61 (the United States has about 200 of them in total).

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in March 2022 that he considered the deployment of American nuclear weapons in Europe unacceptable. According to him, this goes "awards with the fundamental provisions" of the NPT.

Referring to the presence of American nuclear weapons in Europe, Russia decided in 2023 to deploy its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, which signed the NPT.