**Russia Threatens Europe with Nuclear Weapons, Citing “Unfriendly Actions”**
In a disturbing statement, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu has warned that his country reserves the right to use nuclear weapons if faced with “unfriendly actions”. This threat comes as Russia continues its all-out war in Ukraine and tensions rise between Moscow and European countries.
According to an interview with TASS state news agency on April 24, Shoigu claimed that Russia is closely monitoring the military preparations of European countries, which are seeking to increase defense spending and production. He stated that any actions that threaten Russia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity will be met with symmetrical and asymmetrical measures necessary to suppress such actions.
The threat comes amidst a backdrop of increased tensions between Russia and Europe. Shoigu specifically mentioned that any peacekeeping forces deployed to Ukraine would be seen as a provocation by the Kremlin, which could lead to a direct clash between NATO and Russia and subsequently to World War III.
**Russia’s Nuclear Deterrence Policy: A Growing Concern**
This statement is not the first time Russia has made nuclear threats against Ukraine and the West. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russia has repeatedly threatened to use its nuclear arsenal, but these threats have failed to materialize.
However, Shoigu’s latest statement comes as Russia updated its official nuclear deterrence policy in November 2024. According to the changes, the Kremlin reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in response to aggression against itself or its closest ally, Belarus, even if the attack involves non-nuclear weapons.
**A Growing Disregard for International Security**
The statement from Shoigu highlights a growing disregard by Russia for international security agreements and norms. The Budapest Memorandum, signed in 1994, saw Ukraine agree to relinquish its nuclear arms in exchange for security assurances from major powers, including the U.S., the UK, and Russia.
However, these guarantees failed to prevent Moscow’s aggression in Crimea and Donbas in 2014 and the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Today, Ukrainian leadership has sharply criticized the Budapest Memorandum over its lack of strong security guarantees.
**A Grave Warning from US Vice President**
As tensions rise between Russia and Europe, U.S. Vice President JD Vance repeated warnings that the U.S. might drop its peace efforts if both sides refuse to accept a proposal that includes recognizing temporarily occupied territories as Russian.
This proposal is seen as unacceptable by Ukraine and has been met with skepticism by European countries. The statement from Shoigu serves as a grave warning of the potential consequences of such an agreement, highlighting the need for continued vigilance and diplomacy in addressing the conflict in Ukraine.
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