‘Don’t. Don’t. Don’t. You will change the face of war unlike anything since World War II’: Biden tells Putin not to user nuclear weapons as his forces are beaten back in Ukraine – and warns of ‘consequences’ if he does
- President Joe Biden warned Vladimir Putin that Russia would face ‘consequences’ if they decided to use nuclear or chemical weapons in Ukraine
- He urged his Russian counterpart to avoid using the weapons while the Kremlin’s forces suffer defeat after defeat in the Ukraine
- Ukrainian forces, backed by military aid from the West, have successfully been beating back Russia in key cities as the Kremlin’s front line recedes eastward
- The US has committed another $600 million in military aid to help Ukraine, with the total US contribution amounting to $15.9 billion
President Joe Biden warned Vladmir Putin to avoid using nuclear weapons as his forces are beaten back in Ukraine or face ‘consequences.’
In a preview for this Sunday’s 60 Minutes, Scott Pelley asked the president what words he would have for his Russian counterpart if he is considering using chemical or tactical nuclear weapons in the Ukraine.
Biden responded: ‘Don’t. Don’t. Don’t. You will change the face of war unlike anything since World War II.’
When Pelley pushed the president for America’s response should Putin cross the line, Biden declined to comment on a specific plan, only saying that the US would act if nuclear weapons are put into play.
‘It’ll be consequential,’ Biden said. ‘[Russia] will 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.’
President Joe Biden warned Vladimir Putin that Russia would face ‘consequences’ if they decided to use nuclear or chemical weapons in Ukraine
The warning came as Russia suffered yet another defeat by Ukrainian forces backed by Western military aid. Pictured: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky paid a surprise visit on Wednesday to the newly recaptured town of Izium
Ukrainian forces, backed by military aid from the West, have successfully been beating back Russia in key cities as the Kremlin’s front line recedes eastward
Biden’s response comes a day after his administration committed to sending another $600 million in military aid to Ukraine, which successfully took back another major city from Russian forces on Wednesday.
The White House said it was the 21st time that the Defense Department has pulled weapons and other equipment off the shelves to deliver to Ukraine.
The package will include more of the same types of ammunition and equipment that have helped Ukrainian forces beat back the Russian forces in portions of the east and south.
Most recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky helped raise his nation’s flag over the newly-recaptured Russian stronghold of Izyum as he celebrated a stunning counter-attack that routed Putin’s forces in the north of the country.
‘Ukraine is taking back its own,’ a military spokesman said, as a growing hope of overall victory against Putin’s forces begins to spread across the country in the wake of Russia’s most-recent battlefield humiliation.
Zelensky (pictured in Izyum ) had used an overnight address to praise the advances of his troops, amid a growing sense that pushing Russian troops out of the country is possible
While Russian news outlets tried to downplay Ukraine’s success, Zelensky (right) was back in Kyiv on Friday presenting the Hero Rescuer of the Year awards to bolster the nation’s unity
The victory came just a week after Ukraine liberated the city Balakliya, as soldiers were seen cheering with local residents freed from Russia’s control.
The cities of Izyum, Kupyansk and Vovchansk which formed the staging post for the Kremlin’s attacks in the region and contain key railway lines to get ammo and other supplies to its soldiers are now under Ukrainian control.
Moscow’s recent rout in northeast Ukraine was its largest military defeat since the withdrawal of Russian troops from areas near Kyiv more than five months ago.
In a statement about America’s commitment to Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: ‘ With admirable grit and determination, the people of Ukraine are defending their homeland and fighting for their future.
‘The capabilities we are delivering are carefully calibrated to make the most difference on the battlefield and strengthen Ukraine’s hand at the negotiating table when the time is right.’
Pictured: Rubble in the city of Izyum, which was left devastated by outgoing Russian forces as Ukrainian soldiers liberated the people
The conflict in the Ukraine remains bloody as government officials accounted for 440 separate graves for the conflict in Izyum on Friday.
The US has committed another $600 million in military aid to help Ukraine, with the total US contribution amounting to $15.9 billion
The decision to move on new aid quickly – on the heels of a nearly $2.9 billion infusion of aid and financing support announced last week and more than $3 billion announced in late August – underscore the U.S. intent to ensure that Ukraine can sustain its stunning counterattack that was launched early this month.
That most recent funding included $2.2 billion in long-term military financing that Blinken announced during a visit to Ukraine last week, and a $675 million weapons package announced by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Europe that same day.
The $2.2 billion that Blinken announced in Kyiv is for Ukraine and 18 of its neighbors, including NATO members and regional security partners, that are potentially at risk of future Russian aggression, the U.S. said.
The latest package of weapons systems brings the total amount of U.S. aid to Ukraine to nearly $15.9 billion since Biden took office.
U.S. officials watching the counteroffensive have been careful not to declare a premature victory, noting that Russia still has substantial troops and resources.
And they are wary of what Putin may do to turn the tide.
But U.S. leaders also have made clear that the precision weapons and rocket systems provided by the U.S. and allies – including the High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, and the High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile, or HARM – have been key to the dramatic shift in momentum.
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