Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared in his interview to CNN on Friday that “all of the countries of the world” should be prepared for the possibility that russian president vladimir putin could use tactical nuclear weapons in his war on Ukraine.
Zelensky told CNN in an exclusive interview from the office of the president in Kyiv on Friday that putin could use either nuclear or chemical weapons because he did not value the lives of the people of Ukraine.
“Not only me – but the whole world, all of the countries have to be worried because it can be not just intimidation, it can be truth,” Zelensky emphasized.
“Chemical weapons, they could do it, for them the life of the people – just nothing. That's the reason,” Zelensky said. “We should think about this, and be ready for this, instead of being afraid. But that is not a question for Ukraine, NOT ONLY FOR UKRAINE but for the whole world, I think.”
One of russia's most important naval warships sank in the Black Sea this week. Ukraine stated this was the result of a missile strike, while russia claimed it was due to a fire caused by the detonation of ammunition.
At the same time, russia is shelling the outskirts of Kyiv with cruise missiles and is still having the ability to target Ukraine's capital with long-range weapons.
US officials have warned about the possibility that putin, if backed into a corner, could turn to the use of tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine. CIA Director Bill Burns said on Thursday that the CIA watches ,“very intently” over the possibility, having emphasized that the US has not yet seen any signs that russia is preparing to take such a step.
“Given the potential desperation of president putin and the russian leadership, given the setbacks that they've faced so far militarily, none of us can take lightly the threat posed by a potential resort to tactical nuclear weapons or low yield nuclear weapons,” he said.
The day before, russia had warned of the deployment of nuclear and hypersonic weapons if Sweden and Finland joined NATO.