NATO “would respond” if Russian President Vladimir Putin uses chemical weapons in Ukraine, US President Joe Biden has said. Speaking after meetings of NATO and the G7, he said: “We would respond. We would respond if Russia uses chemical weapons. “The nature of the response would depend on the nature of the use.”
“Moscow would use nuclear weapons if ‘provoked’ by NATO.”
He gave the warning after Vladimir Putin’s spokesman refused to rule out nuking Ukraine in the face of an ‘existential threat’. Asked if Putin was right to hold the prospect of nuclear war over the rest of the world,
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“If Russia is provoked by NATO, if Russia is attacked by NATO, why not, we are a nuclear power. “I don’t think it’s the right thing to be saying. But it’s not the right thing to threaten Russia and to try to interfere. “So, when you’re dealing with nuclear power, of course, you have to calculate all the possible outcomes of your behavior.” Chemical warfare is ‘a real threat’ right now, Joe Biden says, as diplomatic talks continue. The US and its allies have previously said they are concerned Russia might resort to using chemical weapons as its invasion struggles against Ukrainian resistance, with Mr. Biden saying it was a “real threat”.
Addressing what would happen if Mr. Putin deployed weapons of mass destruction, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “You have to have a bit of ambiguity about your response, but I think it would be catastrophic for him if he were to do that, and I think that he understands that.”
But he said Mr. Biden was right to warn about the threat, adding: “When the Russians start doing stuff about ‘there are factories in Ukraine producing American biological weapons’, you know that is a prelude to a false flag operation.”
NATO leaders also agreed to send Ukraine protective equipment to defend itself against biological, chemical, and nuclear attacks.
The White House has set up a team of national security officials to plan for what happens if Russia uses chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine, a senior administration official said.