The US speaks out about President Putin's threat of nuclear war

1 . The US criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin's warning about the risk of nuclear war as "irresponsible
This is not the first time we have seen irresponsible statements from (President) Vladimir Putin. The leader of a country that possesses nuclear weapons cannot make such statements," US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters on February 29.

The statement by the US State Department spokesman came after President Putin warned the West of "tragic consequences" for any country if they sent troops into Ukraine.

President Putin said that dangerous actions and statements in Western foreign policy entail the risk of nuclear conflict and destruction of civilization.

"The West must understand that we (Russia) also have weapons that can strike targets on their territory. However, all this could actually entail a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons and the destruction of civilization," the Russian leader said in his State of the Union Address

Mr. Miller said the US had "privately and directly communicated with Russia about the consequences of using nuclear weapons". "We do not have any indications that Russia is preparing to use nuclear weapons," the US State Department spokesman added.

President Putin's warning about nuclear weapons came after French President Emmanuel Macron said that some Western countries do not rule out sending troops to Ukraine, in the context that Russia is taking the initiative on the battlefield between the two countries. when Kiev ran out of ammunition

Mr. Putin said that Russian forces are dominating the battlefield and will continue the special military campaign in Ukraine until all set goals are achieved. Mr. Putin added that Russia also strengthened its forces along its western border with European Union (EU) countries after Finland and Sweden decided to join NATO.

The Kremlin boss repeated accusations that the West wants to weaken Russia and said Western leaders do not understand how dangerous their intervention can be in what he sees as domestic affairs. Russian ministry.

Russia's extraordinary military campaign in Ukraine has sparked the biggest confrontation between the West and Moscow since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. Both Moscow and Washington have warned of the risk of a NATO conflict. and Russia

Russia and the US are the world's largest nuclear powers. The two countries' arsenals account for about 90% of global nuclear weapons and both have advanced military satellites orbiting the earth. The 1967 treaty, to which the United States and Russia are both members, prohibits the signatories from placing in orbit around the earth any object carrying a nuclear weapon or any other weapon of mass destruction.

However, in recent years, disagreements between Moscow and Washington have eroded the framework of arms control treaties intended to reduce the risk of nuclear war between the two sides.
2.US Minister: If Ukraine loses, NATO will have to fight Russia

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that if Russia wins in Ukraine, the next scenario is likely to be a direct conflict between Russia and NATO
.Speaking at a hearing before the US House Armed Services Committee on February 29, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that Russia will not stop if it wins the current conflict in Ukraine. "We know that if Mr. Putin wins in Ukraine, he will not stop there. Russia will expand its actions in the region," Mr. Austin said. He warned that if Ukraine loses, the Baltic countries may become the next target

If you're a country in the Baltics, you're really worried whether you're going to be next (in conflict with Russia). I believe, if Ukraine loses, NATO will be dragged into a war with Russia," said the head of the Pentagon. According to him, the Baltic countries of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are especially vulnerable. All three countries are members of the NATO military alliance.

This means that, if Russia attacks one of these three countries, Moscow will be considered to have declared war on the entire 31-member military alliance led by the US. Secretary Austin emphasized that to prevent the scenario of Russia winning in Ukraine, the US Congress needs to quickly approve an additional aid package for Ukraine.

US aid to Ukraine has been stalled since late last year as the country's parliament continued to disagree on a new aid package for Kiev. Depleting weapons and ammunition is causing difficulties for Kiev and helping Russia gain the initiative on the battlefield with the most significant advance being control of the city of Avdiivka in Eastern Ukraine.

On February 23, US Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer said: "Everyone we met, from (Ukrainian) President Volodymyr Zelensky down, made their point of view clear: If Ukraine receives aid , they will win the war and defeat Russia. But if they do not receive aid, they will definitely lose the war." President Zelensky also warned that Ukraine is a security buffer zone between Russia and NATO. If this buffer zone is lost, European security will be threatened.

In another related development, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas on February 29 called on NATO leaders to consider all possible options to help Ukraine and prevent Russia from winning.

"That is also the signal we send to Russia that we do not rule out anything. We all understand that we must do everything to help Ukraine win, Russia fail," Ms. Kallas speak

The Estonian leader said: "We should not be afraid of our own strength and should not overestimate Russia's power. Fear of escalation makes us smaller. That is a mistake." Russia understands that NATO is militarily superior and does not want conflict with NATO any more than we fear conflict with Russia.