Biden on Russia’s potential use of nukes: 'They'll become more of a pariah in the world than they ever have been'
The US President Joe Biden has said that Russia “would become more of a pariah in the world than they ever have been” should they use chemical or tactical nuclear weapons in his interview for CBS.
Answering to Scott Pelley’s question on what he would say to Vladimir Putin if the Kremlin was considering using nuclear weapons in the Ukraine War, Biden answered: "Don't. Don't. Don't. You will change the face of war unlike anything since World War II. <...> They'll become more of a pariah in the world than they ever have been. And depending on the extent of what they do will determine what response would occur."
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov also commented on Russia’s potential use of nuclear weapons as he spoke to RIA Novosti. "Read our doctrine, it’s all there." Russia’s doctrine says that the country may use nuclear arms "in case of an aggression against Russia or its ally with the use of mass destruction weapons" or if the country’s existence is at stake.
Russia’s Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu said in late August that using nuclear weapons in Ukraine was not necessary from a military perspective. “The main objective of Russia’s nuclear arsenal is to hold down nuclear attacks,” he said.
