INTERNATIONAL: Americans should not be worried about nuclear war, U.S. President Joe Biden has said on Monday, February 28,, the day after Russian President Vladimir Putin put Russia's nuclear deterrent on high alert amid Moscow's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
US President Joe Biden has said on Monday Americans should not worry about a nuclear war after Moscow put its nuclear deterrent on high alert amid a barrage of Western reprisals over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
White House officials have said earlier in the day the United States sees no reason to change its nuclear alert levels at this time, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has said.
“But it's also important to remember that, even over the course of the last several months and years, when we had significant disagreements with Russia over a range of issues, Russia and the United States have long agreed that nuclear use would have devastating consequences and have stated many times, including earlier this year, that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought,” she has said in response to a question.
Throughout the crisis, Russia and President Putin have falsely alleged that it is under threat, including from Ukraine, including from NATO, she has noted.
Neither the United States nor NATO has any desire or intention for conflict with Russia. And we think provocative rhetoric like this regarding nuclear weapons is dangerous, adds to the risk of miscalculation, should be avoided, and we'll not indulge in it, Psaki has further said.
What President Putin did are not actions of a global leader that should be treated with respect on the global stage,”Psaki has also remarked.
Senator Joni Ernst, a combat veteran and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, slammed Putin for his comments on nuclear weapons. “This would be a catastrophe and it would be the end of the Russian Federation. This type of action, going to nuclear war would absolutely not be tolerated by anyone around this globe.Vladimir Putin has gone a step too far making these threats.”
Senator Jim Inhofe, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, in a statement called on Putin to walk back his threats to go nuclear and to end this war ,for which he is solely responsible.
The world has witnessed the lengths Putin is willing to go to get what he wants: apartment buildings hit by missiles, civilians indiscriminately killed, Ukrainians taking to subway tunnels as makeshift bomb shelters, and desperate mothers with small children fleeing major cities in the bitter cold of Ukrainian winter.
The Russian president’s senseless decision to invade Ukraine and bring horrific devastation to its people wasn't evidence enough, Putin's attempt at nuclear blackmail illuminates the truly threatening nature of his regime.
Meanwhile,President Joe Biden has announced on Tuesday night's State of the Union that the US is banning Russian aircraft from US airspace, joining a growing number of countries who are closing their skies to Russia following President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.