The risk of Moscow resorting to nuclear weapons in the conflict in Ukraine has diminished because the international community “has drawn a red line” against Russia, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in an interview published on Thursday.
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“One thing has changed for the moment: Russia has stopped threatening to use nuclear weapons,” said the Chancellor in an interview with the German media group Funke and Ouest France. He sees this as a consequence of the fact that the international community, including China, “has drawn a red line” in Moscow on this issue.
“For now, we have put a stop to it,” added Olaf Scholz, about the risk of a nuclear escalation.
The German leader believes in this regard that his recent trip to China has borne fruit: “During my visit to Beijing, Chinese President Xi and I jointly declared that nuclear weapons should not be used. Shortly after, the G20 countries reaffirmed this position”.
Asked about the recent controversy triggered by French President Emmanuel Macron, who felt that “guarantees” should be given to Russia to find a good balance, once the war in Ukraine is over, Olaf Scholz acknowledged that in the long term the question of the security architecture would arise.
“The priority is for Russia to immediately end the war and withdraw its troops. It is true that it is then a question of how we can ensure the security of Europe,” he said.
“We are of course ready to discuss with Russia arms control in Europe. We had already proposed it before the war, and this position has not changed,” he added.
After several nuclear weapons threats from Russian officials in recent months, Putin hinted Wednesday that Moscow will only use nuclear weapons in response to such an attack.
“We considered weapons of mass destruction, nuclear weapons, as a means of defence. (Recourse to it) is built around what is called the + strike in retaliation +: if we are struck, we strike in response, ”added the Russian president.
He nevertheless noted that “the threat of a nuclear war is growing”, in view of the Russia-West confrontation around Ukraine, making the Americans and Europeans responsible.