A day after Russia’s large-scale missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, Group of Seven (G7) nations warned that the use of nuclear weapons on Ukraine will have severe consequences, according to a statement released by the White House. Taking it forward, US President Joe Biden said the United States has its responses ready if Russian President Vladimir Putin uses nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
Leaders of G7 states (the UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, the US, France, and Japan) said, “We deplore deliberate Russian escalator steps, including the partial mobilization of reservists and irresponsible nuclear rhetoric, which is putting global peace and security at risk.
We reaffirm that any use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons by Russia would be met with severe consequences.”
The statement came after the G7 held a meeting with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that took place against the backdrop of the recent missile attacks against civilian infrastructure and cities across Ukraine, leading to the death of innocent civilians.
The G7 said that Russia has blatantly violated the principles enshrined in the UN Charter by annexing Ukrainian regions into it. “They cannot and do not give Russia a legitimate basis to change Ukraine’s borders. We call upon all countries to unequivocally reject these violations of international law and demand that Russia ceases all hostilities and immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw all of its troops and military equipment from Ukraine,” the statement said.
G7 said that they have imposed and will continue to impose further economic costs on Russia, and even on other countries who are providing political or economic support for Russia’s illegal attempts to change the status of Ukrainian territory.
“We reaffirm our full support for Ukraine’s independence, territorial integrity, and sovereignty in its internationally recognized borders. In line with international law, in particular the UN Charter, Ukraine has the legitimate right to defend itself against Russian aggression and to regain full control of its territory within its internationally recognized borders,” the statement added.
In another development, during an interview with CNN, Biden said that US has gamed out all possible scenarios that may perpetuate in Ukraine war including the use of a nuclear weapon. “The Pentagon didn’t have to be asked,” Biden said in response to a question about whether he’d directed Pentagon to come up with contingencies in the ongoing Russa-Ukraine war.
CNN asked Biden what is the red line for the US and NATO in Ukraine and what Washington would do if Putin bombed a nuclear plant in Ukraine or set off a tactical nuclear weapon. “It would be irresponsible for me to talk about what we would or wouldn’t do,” Biden said.
