Kremlin spokesman won’t rule out using nuclear weapons if there’s an existential threat to Russia
CNN’s Christiane Amanpour interviewed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, Tuesday where she pressed him on the possibility of Russia using nuclear weapons. Russian officials have threatened nuclear war if the West was to interfere with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“I need to ask you this, because the world is afraid, and I want to know if Putin intends the world to be afraid of the nuclear option,” Amanpour said. “Would he use it?” “President Putin intends to make the world listen to and understand our concerns,” Peskov said. “We have been trying to convey our concerns to the world, to Europe, to the United States, for a couple of decades. But no one would listen to us.”
When pushed, Peskov invoked Russia’s National Security Concept, which was amended in 2000 to allow for wider use of nuclear weapons, but claimed that Russia would only use them if there’s an existential threat.
“Well, we have a concept of domestic security and, well, it’s public. You can read all the reasons for nuclear arms to be used,” Peskov said. “So if it is an [existential] threat for our country, then it can be used in accordance with our concept. There are no other reasons mentioned in that text.”
Video Transcript
- I want to know whether Putin intends the world to be afraid of the nuclear option. Would he use it?
- President Putin intends to-- intends to make the world listen to and understand our concerns.
KYLIE MAR: Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov spoke with CNN's Christiane Amanpour Tuesday, where he talked about the possible use of nuclear weapons as Russian officials have threatened.
- Well, we have a concept of domestic security. And it's public. You can read all the reasons for nuclear arms to be used.
KYLIE MAR: As Russia's attack on Ukraine has stalled in many places, fears of the use of nuclear weapons have arisen. But Peskov claims Russia would only use them if there's an existential threat.
- So if it is an existential threat for our country, then it can be used in accordance with our concept.
- Well.
- There are no other reasons that were mentioned in the text.
