Zelenskyy said that China had reacted strongly to Russia’s nuclear threats
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stated that China had, for the first time, responded in a firm and categorical manner to statements circulating in the Russian media regarding the possible use of nuclear weapons.
The head of state made this announcement whilst speaking to journalists following the NATO summit in Turkey on 9 July.
According to Zelenskyy, the issue of China’s role in Russia’s war against Ukraine and its potential influence on the negotiation process was discussed during his meeting with US President Donald Trump. However, the president did not provide any details of this conversation.
Furthermore, according to Zelenskyy, the subject of China was raised during his talks with European leaders. They informed him that Beijing had reacted sharply to statements regarding the possible use of nuclear weapons that had been circulating in the Russian media.
“China reacted very seriously, very firmly and unequivocally to media reports in Russia concerning various possibilities for the use of nuclear weapons. And it seems to me that, for the first time, they have reacted very clearly and very firmly – as the leaders told me, in no uncertain terms – that there can be no thought whatsoever of using nuclear weapons,” said the president.
The report also notes that in mid-May, Vladimir Putin, together with the self-proclaimed President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, conducted joint exercises on the combat use of nuclear weapons. Ground-based, airborne and submarine delivery systems were used during the exercises, and Russia transported some of the munitions to storage sites in Belarus. The exercises took place against the backdrop of statements from Kyiv regarding Moscow’s attempts to drag Minsk into the war against Ukraine.
