Russia says changing nuclear weapons policy is a warning to the West, Blinken says he is irresponsible

On September 27, former President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Trump Tower in New York City. During a brief press conference, Trump expressed his admiration for Zelensky, saying, “It’s an honor to have a president with us who has gone through so much.” He acknowledged the significant challenges Zelensky faces, adding, “We will have a discussion to see what we can come up with.”

Zelensky, who had met with Vice President Kamala Harris the day before in Washington, emphasized their mutual understanding: “We both agree that the war in Ukraine must stop.” He highlighted the importance of Ukraine’s success, expressing a desire to discuss a victory strategy with Trump. He stressed the significance of engaging with both presidential candidates.

Trump remarked on their “very good relationship,” but also mentioned, “I have a very good relationship with President Putin.” When addressing the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, he stated, “I think if we win, we’ll be able to resolve things quickly.”

In response, Zelensky hoped that his relationship with Trump would prove more favorable than Trump’s ties with Putin.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin announced a shift in Russia’s nuclear policy, warning Western nations of serious repercussions for any involvement in an attack on Russia. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned this shift, labeling it “completely irresponsible.”

According to reports from Reuters and Russian state media RT, discussions are underway in the U.S. and U.K. regarding the possibility of permitting Ukraine to strike within Russian territory using Western-supplied missiles. In response, Putin stated on September 25 that if Russia experiences traditional missile strikes, it would find it acceptable to retaliate with nuclear weapons. Moscow views any attack on Russia backed by nuclear-armed nations as a collective threat.

Putin also indicated that if Moscow obtains “reliable information” about a large-scale missile assault on Russia or Belarus, it would “consider” the option of using nuclear arms.

Jens Stoltenberg, the outgoing NATO Secretary-General, cautioned that Moscow aims to intimidate NATO member states. At a Council on Foreign Relations event, he remarked, “Russia’s nuclear rhetoric is dangerous and reckless, and we are closely monitoring developments in Russia.”

In a September 26 interview with MSNBC, Blinken reiterated that Putin has been irresponsibly leveraging nuclear threats, noting, “Many countries around the world have made that very clear, including China.”