Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky informed CNN Friday that “the entire international locations of the world” needs to be ready for the chance that Russian President Vladimir Putin may use tactical nuclear weapons in his battle on Ukraine.
Zelensky informed CNN’s Jake Tapper in an unique interview from the workplace of the president in Kyiv on Friday that Putin may flip to both nuclear or chemical weapons as a result of he doesn’t worth the lives of the folks of Ukraine.
“Not solely me — the entire world, the entire international locations should be frightened as a result of it may be not actual data, however it may be reality,” Zelensky mentioned, talking in English.
“Chemical weapons, they need to do it, they may do it, for them the lifetime of the folks, nothing. That is why,” Zelensky mentioned. “We should always assume not be afraid, not be afraid however be prepared. However that’s not a query for Ukraine, not just for Ukraine however for all of the world, I feel.”
Zelensky has remained in Ukraine all through the course of the 50-day battle with Russia, as Ukraine’s forces have resisted the Kremlin’s makes an attempt to grab Kyiv and compelled Russia to refocus its battle efforts on the japanese and southern areas of the nation, the place Ukraine is anticipating a major escalation in preventing within the days to come back.
Certainly one of Russia’s most vital naval warships sunk within the Black Sea this week, which Ukraine mentioned was the results of a missile strike, whereas Russia claimed it was as a result of a fireplace from the detonation of ammunition.
On the similar time, Russia is firing cruise missiles into the outskirts of Kyiv and nonetheless maintains the power to focus on Ukraine’s capital with long-range weaponry.
US officers have warned concerning the chance that Putin, if backed right into a nook, may flip to the usage of tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine. CIA Director Invoice Burns mentioned Thursday that the CIA watches “very intently” over the chance, whereas emphasizing that the US has not but seen any indicators that Russia is getting ready to take such a step.
“Given the potential desperation of President Putin and the Russian management, given the setbacks that they’ve confronted to this point militarily, none of us can take evenly the menace posed by a possible resort to tactical nuclear weapons or low yield nuclear weapons,” he mentioned in public remarks at Georgia Tech.
Watch a clip of the interview right here.
You may see extra of the interview on “The Lead” at 4 p.m. ET and the total interview will run on Sunday at 9 a.m. ET on “State of the Union.”
