U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the United States expressed concern to Russia over the threats of using nuclear weapons in the war with Ukraine.
“We’re focused on making sure that we’re all acting responsibly, especially when it comes to this kind of loose rhetoric,” Blinken said un an Interview brodcast on US TV on Sep.25.
“We have been very clear with the Russians publicly and, as well as, privately to stop the loose talk about nuclear weapons.” He confirmed that the United States had contacted the Kremlin about these threats of nuclear war.
“It’s very important that Moscow hear from us and know from us that the consequences would be horrific. And we’ve made that very clear,” he said.
Blinken declined to share details of how the USA would react to the use of nuclear weapons. However, he said the administration has a plan.
“President Biden has been determined that as we’re doing everything we can to help the Ukrainians defend themselves, as we’re doing everything we can to rally other countries to put pressure on Russia, we’re also determined that this war not expand, not get broader,” Blinken explained.
Blinken said he had seen very clear evidence of war crimes first-hand when he visited Ukraine a couple of weeks ago. “One of the places I visited was a city called Irpin,” Blinken said. “And I saw residential buildings, building block after building block, totally bombed out. Wherever the Russian tide recedes, what’s left in its wake is very clear evidence of atrocities and war crimes,” the state secretary said.
“We’re doing everything we can to support those who are trying to compile the evidence. And to investigate. And ultimately, to prosecute those responsible,” Blinken said.
The broadcaster notes that last Thursday, when the atrocities in Ukraine were laid out before the UN Security Council, the Russian Foreign Minister said that they were staged and said that Russia had become a victim.
“This is ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ It’s the world upside down. Up is down, white is black– truth is false,” Blinken said. “All of these words, all of these words ring totally hollow to every member on the Security Council … So this spewing of words is not having an effect.” Blinken said that the “elections” on the annexation of the territories of Ukraine to the Russian Federation are a fiction and will never be recognized. He also said that there are currently no meaningful negotiations with Russia on ending the war in Ukraine. “There are no talks because Russia has not demonstrated any willingness in this moment to engage in meaningful discussions,” Blinken said. “If and when that changes, we will do everything we can to support a diplomatic process,” he said.
For Blinken, Putin’s war in Ukraine has failed. “What he said very clearly from the start is, his objective was to erase Ukraine’s identity as an independent country, that has already failed,” Blinken said. “Ukrainians are fighting for their own land. They’re fighting for their own country. The Russians are not. And these Russian soldiers who are being thrown into this conflict, often not knowing where they’re going or what they’re doing– this is not something that they want to be fighting for. The Ukrainians are fighting for their own future. They’re fighting for their own land. They’re fighting for their own lives.”
