Russia claimed Wednesday that it was the top priority to avoid a clash of the world’s nuclear power powers amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. It also accused the West “encouraging provocations by weapons of mass destruction”.
“We are strongly persuaded that in this complicated and turbulent environment, which has been caused by irresponsible actions aimed to undermine our national security,” the country’s Foreign Ministry stated in a statement.
Russia also stated that it fears the five declared nuclear power states are “on the brink” of an armed conflict and that the West must cease “encouraging provocations using weapons of mass destruction,” which could have catastrophic consequences.
Moscow also reiterated its commitment to the joint declaration, which was issued in January with France, China and Britain, “on nuclear war prevention and the avoidance or an arms race beginning from Jan. 3, 2020.”
Russia has tried to minimize the threat of nuclear war in the face of West-led accusations. Last month, President Vladimir Putin declared that he didn’t intend to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Putin stated that he doesn’t believe there is a need to do so. “There’s no need for that, either political or military.”
Putin said that Russia would use all available means to protect its territory. His remarks in September were widely interpreted by the West to be threats to use nuclear weapons against parts of Ukraine Moscow claims to have annexed.
He stated that the United States created a precedent by dropping two atomic bombs against Japan at the close of the Second World War.