After Russian President Vladimir Putin mused on the mounting risks of nuclear conflict but stated Moscow would not strike first, the United States on Wednesday denounced “loose discourse” on nuclear weapons.
Putin stated at a Kremlin gathering that “such a threat is rising” but he was ambiguous regarding Russia’s approach. Putin has previously hinted at the employment of small “tactical” weapons in his campaign in Ukraine.
Putin declared that “Russia will never use them first.”
The chances of using them in the event of a nuclear strike against our territory are quite slim, so if it doesn’t use them first under any circumstances, it won’t be the second to use them either, according to Putin.
When asked about Putin’s comments, US State Department spokesman Ned Price declined to respond directly but stated, “We think any loose talk about nuclear weapons is simply reckless.”
A nuclear war is something that must never be waged and can never be won, according to Price, who noted that since the end of the Cold War, nuclear powers all over the world, including China, India, the United States, and Russia itself, have made this apparent.
Any additional hyperbole, including nuclear saber-rattling or even bringing up the possibility of using tactical nuclear weapons, is in our opinion irresponsible, according to Price.
The nuclear non-proliferation regime has been based on that assertion since the Cold War, and it is dangerous and against its spirit, he said.
In his speech, Putin compared Russia to the US, citing the US’ placement of nuclear weapons in NATO partners in Europe.
Putin stated, “We have not transferred and will not transfer our nuclear weapons to anyone, but, of course, we will safeguard our allies with all available means, if required.
US officials have expressed concern that if Russia feels defeated on the battlefield, it would use nuclear weapons and fabricate a story to justify its actions.
The United States, which had a rare direct communication with Moscow to caution against nuclear use, sharply rebuked Russia for its claims that Ukraine had tried to explode a “dirty bomb.” Ukraine strongly denied these claims.
The two nuclear weapon states with the most nuclear weapons, the United States and Russia, don’t formally have a no-first-use policy.
President Joe Biden recently reviewed the US’s posture and came to the sole conclusion that nuclear weapons should only be utilized in “extreme circumstances.”
Recent discussions on nuclear arms limitation that were due to take place in Cairo were canceled by Russia, who claimed that the United States was hostile because it was trying to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
