Russia has said that preventing a military clash between nuclear powers is its “top priority” and – despite recent nuclear threats – has called on other countries with such weapons to reaffirm their commitment to avoiding nuclear war.
The State Department said on Wednesday that Russia “fully reaffirmed” its commitment to preventing nuclear war and avoiding an arms race in a joint statement signed in January with the US, Britain, France and China.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly issued veiled threats to use nuclear weapons as his eight-month invasion of Ukraine stalls, as part of a strategy Western officials said is aimed at preventing Western military aid to Kyiv.
The rhetoric has alarmed Western powers, particularly after Russia made unfounded claims last week that Ukraine is developing a “dirty bomb” — a conventional weapon laced with radioactive material.
Putin repeated the warnings, but then said there was “no military or political sense” in Russia to use a nuclear weapon against Ukraine.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday: “We firmly believe that in the current difficult, turbulent situation, which is the result of irresponsible and outrageous actions aimed at undermining our national security, preventing a military clash between nuclear powers is paramount.” has priority.”
Putin’s message comes as US officials say they believe a series of high-level talks between US and Russian defense officials have helped ease tensions somewhat.
“There is a temporary sense of reassurance,” a US official said.
Last month, US officials saw worrying signs in intelligence monitoring Russia’s possible nuclear use, but said the intelligence they gathered did not indicate Moscow was making any preparations to use a nuclear weapon.
The New York Times reported Wednesday that Russian military leaders have been discussing the possibility of using a tactical nuclear weapon for the past month.
Officials in US President Joe Biden’s administration say they are concerned that Putin’s growing desperation may lead him to consider using such a weapon.
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said in London that Russia’s claim that Ukraine was developing a dirty bomb was completely false and that Britain, alongside the US and France, was “absolutely committed to upholding the taboo” on the use of nuclear weapons.
“Russia’s claims that a tactical nuclear weapon is being prepared by Ukraine, or indeed facilitated by the UK or any other power, are incorrect and untrue,” Wallace told the House of Commons Defense Committee.
“It would be disgusting. . . violates international law and would be totally unjustified. We have no intention of doing anything other than . . . telling the truth about it,” Wallace said.
Western officials have intensified their monitoring of Russia’s nuclear readiness in recent months but have reported no changes.
Ukraine said Russia’s rhetoric was likely a bluff aimed at convincing its Western backers to pressure Kyiv into accepting an unfavorable peace deal on Moscow’s terms.
Recommended
Ukrainian forces are advancing on the southern city of Kherson, the only provincial capital that Russia captured during the invasion – although Putin claimed it as part of Russia in a lavish annexation ceremony in late September.
Despite Putin pledging to use “all means at our disposal” to defend a territory he considers part of Russia, Ukraine has continued to repulse Russian forces, bolstering the conviction of some officials who believe Moscow is not carrying out its threats becomes.
“We want them to focus on stopping the war and invasion that is taking place and not trying to distract us and others, or into areas that are not relevant to the fact that they are invading Ukraine,” a Western official said, adding that Russia’s efforts have so far met with little success.
The Russian Foreign Ministry statement contained an implicit rebuke of Western powers that are supplying Ukraine with advanced weapons that Moscow claims increase the chances of direct conflict between Russian and NATO forces.
In an apparent reference to the dirty bomb claims, it called on Ukraine’s Western supporters to “demonstrate their willingness to resolve this priority and abandon dangerous attempts to undermine each other’s vital interests by taking the line of a direct armed conflict.” Balancing conflict and provocations promote weapons of mass destruction that could have catastrophic consequences”.
The State Department said Russia’s military doctrine allows the use of nuclear weapons if the country is first hit by a nuclear strike or if “the very existence of the state” is threatened by a conventional attack.