The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has escalated tensions, with French and American officials reacting to the statements made by Russian President Vladimir Putin, deeming them irresponsible. French Minister of Defence, Sébastien Lecornu, warned Vladimir Putin to “not escalate”.
Vladimir Putin, during his annual address to the nation on Thursday, February 29, cautioned that in the event of an escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, Western countries “must understand that we also have weapons capable of reaching their territories. Everything they are inventing right now is a real threat of conflict with the use of nuclear weapons.” These remarks did not sit well with Paris and Washington, labeling them as “irresponsible”.
French Minister of Defence, Sébastien Lecornu, stated that he “carefully listened to what the President of the Russian Federation said this morning. When representing a nuclear-armed power, one cannot be irresponsible and escalate.” Lecornu noted that the Russian President also mentioned threats coming from the West, to which he responded by saying, “There are no threats weighing on the Russian Federation.” He emphasized that Russia is the aggressor in Ukraine and is displaying new levels of aggression, including towards French interests, in a rapidly intensifying context.
Across the Atlantic, Vladimir Putin’s warning sparked a similar reaction. The spokesperson for the State Department, Matthew Miller, remarked that “this is not the first time we have witnessed irresponsible rhetoric from Vladimir Putin. It is not a way for the leader of a nuclear-armed state to speak.” While acknowledging that there have been past direct communications with Russia on the consequences of nuclear weapon use, Miller stated that there is currently “no indication that Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon”.
