Zelenskyy calls for preventative pressure on Russia due to its nuclear threats: cue hysteria in Russia

KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO – THURSDAY, 6 OCTOBER 2022, 21:48

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, has called upon NATO to respond to Russia’s nuclear threats by applying preventative pressure. Russia has perceived this statement as a call for a preemptive strike on Russia.

Source: Zelenskyy, during a discussion at the Lowy Institute, Australia, which he attended via video link; Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the President of Russia; Maria Zakharova, representative of Russia’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs; Serhii Nykyforov, spokesperson for Zelenskyy, on Facebook

Quote from Zelenskyy in response to a question about what NATO should do to prevent Russia from using nuclear weapons: 

"We can already see that these people [the Russians – ed.] are capable of such atrocities. What must NATO do? Make it impossible for Russia to use nuclear weapons. But what is [even more] important, I am once again turning to the international community as I did before 24 February. Preventative strikes, so that they know what will await them if they use [a nuclear weapon]. Not the other way round – wait for Russian nuclear strikes and then say afterwards, ‘Oh, it’s like that, is it? Well, take this from us!’

Reconsider applying pressure - that’s what NATO should do, and reconsider the order in which it is applied."

Details: After this speech, representatives of Russia started saying that Zelenskyy wants to start a nuclear war.

Maria Zakharova, an official representative of Russia’s Foreign Ministry, claimed that the West was starting a nuclear war and it could destroy the planet at Zelenskyy’s hands. Dmitry Peskov, the Russian president’s press secretary, called Zelenskyy’s words "a call to start a world war with unpredictable and horrific consequences".

Serhii Nykyforov, press secretary of the President of Ukraine, explained that Zelenskyy was talking about preventative sanctions, which should have been applied before Russia’s full-scale invasion on 24 February, and assured the public that Ukraine will never call for the use of nuclear weapons.

Quote: "The president was talking about the period before 24 February. Preventative measures should have been used back then in order to prevent Russia from waging this war. Let me remind you that the only measures being discussed at that time were preventative sanctions.

Only Russia, which is a terrorist state, dares to blackmail the world with explosions at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and hints at using nuclear weapons. You will never hear Ukraine calling for such things."

Background:

• Having announced partial mobilisation in Russia, President Putin once again threatened Western countries with nuclear weapons. "If our country’s territorial integrity is in danger, we will undoubtedly use all means possible to protect Russia and our people. This is not a bluff," he said.
• Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, thinks that Russia can launch a nuclear strike on Ukraine with impunity, since a direct response will not follow from NATO member states as they will be concerned for their own safety. Medvedev also intimidated the public with the start of a Third World War and the disappearance of a significant number of Ukrainians.
• Zelenskyy does not think Putin is "bluffing" when he hints at using nuclear weapons. At the same time, Zelenskyy is convinced that if Putin used nuclear weapons, he would not be able "to preserve his own life".
• On 6 October, the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that Moscow follows the principle of the unacceptability of nuclear war, and that such a war must never be started.

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