The U.S. President Joe Biden believes that Russia will not use nuclear weapons in the war with Ukraine.
He stated this in an interview with CNN.
"I donʼt think he will," Biden said when he was asked if the Russian president would use tactical nuclear weapons. At the same time, he called Putinʼs statements "irresponsible".
Biden added that even threats from the Russian president have a destabilizing effect, and warned of potential mistakes in judgment that could arise.
"In fact, Putin cannot continue to talk with impunity about the use of tactical nuclear weapons, as if this is rational. Mistakes happen. A miscalculation can happen. No one can be sure exactly what will happen and that it can end in Armageddon," the U.S. president noted.
Biden declined to reveal what the U.S. response would look like if Putin follows through on his nuclear threats. But he stated that the Pentagon has developed a plan in advance in case this scenario comes true.
"I will not go into details. It would be irresponsible of me to talk about what we will or will not do," Biden added.
- Earlier, Volodymyr Zelensky stated in an interview with the BBC that Russia had begun to prepare its society for a nuclear strike, but added that he did not believe in the use of tactical nuclear weapons.
- The Secretary General of NATO informed that the forces of the Alliance plan to conduct nuclear deterrence exercises.