The United States government warned this Sunday to Russia that any use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine would have “catastrophic consequences” for the Slavic nation, international media report.
Jake Sullivan, White House national security adviser, said in an interview that the possible use of nuclear weapons for the first time since World War II by the government of Vladimir Putin must be “taken very seriously”, and assured that should it happen, the United States and its allies would respond “decisively.”
“We have communicated directly, in private, at very high levels to the Kremlin, that any use of nuclear weapons will have catastrophic consequences for Russia, that the United States and our allies will respond decisively,” Sullivan said in an interview with CBSNewsquoted by the agency EFE.
The Spanish media recalls that in a televised speech last Wednesday, Putin mentioned the “weapons of the future” to warn NATO that Russia has an “unparalleled” nuclear arsenal that allows it to counter any Western threat.
“I want to remember that our country also has different offensive systems and, in some components, they are more modern than those of NATO countries,” said the Russian president, who said that if necessary, Russia would use “all resources at your service”.
In this regard, the US adviser commented that both publicly and privately, the United States has been “clear and specific” about what a possible use of nuclear weapons would imply, since the government of Joe Biden “will respond decisively,” he insisted.
The United States, the official added, will continue to support Ukraine in the conflict unleashed after the Russian invasion and recalled that they have already provided kyiv with more than 15,000 million dollars in aid for weapons and air defense systems.
In the interview, Sullivan also referred to the current situation of the Russian Army and assured that the call for citizen mobilization “is not exactly a sign of strength or confidence”, but “a sign that they are suffering a lot on the Russian side”. , point EFE.
Also this Sunday, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, confirmed that his country has received sophisticated air defense systems from the United States, informs the newspaper The countryaccording to which it is the first acknowledgment that kyiv has the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), a weapon whose shipment was approved by Washington at the end of last month.
“We needed the United States to show leadership and give Ukraine the air defense systems. I want to thank President (Joe) Biden for a positive decision that has already been made,” said Zelenski, who last morning encouraged Russian citizens to oppose the military mobilization announced on Wednesday by Putin, the Spanish newspaper also reports.
Moscow seeks to recruit some 300,000 reservists to deal with the current Ukrainian counteroffensive in the east and south of the country that has allowed it to recover important territories until recently occupied by Russian forces. Following Putin’s order, protests have been reported in the Eurasian nation and also leaving the country many people, especially men.
In addition, in the midst of this situation, controversial referendums are taking place in territories controlled by pro-Russian separatists with the support of Moscow, who seek their annexation to Russia, something that neither Ukraine nor the United States and its Western allies recognize as valid.
