China has issued an alert about the “dangers” of nuclear war in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin stating that Russia’s strategic nuclear forces are “in a state of full readiness.” During Vladimir Putin’s annual state of the nation address on Thursday, he uncovered that Russian forces were “entirely prepared” to carry out nuclear strikes.
Putin said during his address that the likelihood of nuclear war would increase if Western countries sent troops to Ukraine, as recently suggested by French President Emmanuel Macron.
The comments he made sparked global outrage, as other nations have long advocated for the avoidance of nuclear weapons during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Concerns about the use of nuclear weapons have risen since a conflict began in February 2022. While Russian authorities have long sought to downplay such worries, pundits on Russian state television, which aligns with the Kremlin, have regularly discussed the likelihood of nuclear war, further stoking fears.
Mao Ning, a spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, responded to Putin’s comments during a press conference on Friday.
In January 2022, the five nuclear-weapon-states issued a joint statement, stating that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.
Mao continued: “Under the current circumstances, parties need to jointly seek de-escalation and lower strategic risks.”
Newsweek has contacted the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment via email.
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A spokesperson for the State Department previously told Newsweek that U.S. policy had not changed significantly.
We will not let Putin’s words intimidate us.
Mircea Geoana, deputy secretary general of NATO, told Spanish newspaper El Pais that Putin’s comments are “part of their arsenal of intimidation and psychological pressure.”
“Russia has experienced various nuclear threats from Russian leaders since the beginning of the war. This represents tremendous responsibility for a nuclear superpower like Russia, which has an obligation to act with care and restraint.
