French Foreign Minister said that Russian President Vladimir Putin, when making a threat about using nuclear weapons, it was necessary to understand that NATO also, was a nuclear alliance, but he put aside NATO-led military intervention to defend Ukraine.
Asked whether Putin’s threat from “the consequences like you have never met in your history” did not threaten the use of Russian nuclear weapons in the Ukrainian conflict, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said it was indeed understood.
“Yes, I think Vladimir Putin must also understand that the Atlantic Alliance is a nuclear alliance. That’s all I will say about this,” said Le Drian on Thursday at TF1 French television.
Speaking of the Kremlin on Thursday morning when he launched the Russian military invasion to Ukraine, Putin said Russia would respond instantly if there was an external force that tried to disrupt his actions.
“Anyone who tries to hinder us, and even more, to create a threat to our country, to our people, must know that Russian response will soon. And it will lead you to the consequences like you have never met in your history,” said Russian President.
Asked why NATO members stated – which in the past few decades has conducted military intervention in non-NATO countries such as Afghanistan, Libya and former Yugoslavia – refusing to place soldiers on the ground, Le Drian said: “That’s not what Ukraine asked us” .
He said Ukraine asked for humanitarian and financial assistance, as well as military equipment, provided by the West and will continue to be provided.
Asked what NATO weapons could provide, Le Drian said, “They have made a list and we are studying the list to fulfill their requests as soon as possible”.
Asked whether Europe and NATO could continue to put aside military responses despite the presence of the Russian army in Ukraine and the threat of apocalypse nuclear, Le Drian said sanctions would be more efficient.
“Strangling Russia economically and financially will be stronger than any intervention,” Foreign Minister said.
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