2024-09-26 14:57 update: 2024-09-26, 14:59
Photo PAP/Leszek Szymanski
Polish President Andrzej Duda said on Wednesday that the global community would not forgive Russia should it be the first to employ nuclear weapons, in response to the Russian President Vladimir Putin's warning of nuclear retaliation in the event of a significant assault on Russia.
During the meeting of the Russian Security Council, Putin spoke of proposed changes to the Russian nuclear doctrine and indicated that these changes could permit a nuclear response to external aggression directed at Russia, even in instances where the assault is executed using conventional weaponry.
Duda, during his visit to New York, commented on Putin's words in a televised interview for the 'TVN Business and the World' Polish television channel.
"If we analyse the situation rationally and without fear, we must express this clearly: Putin has been repeating the contents of the Russian nuclear doctrine for many years," said Duda. "And both Vladimir Putin and his military leaders are fully aware that whoever utilises a nuclear weapon first will be condemned. This awareness is the reason they have not yet resorted to such measures."
He additionally mentioned the views of the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, regarding his opposition to the utilisation of nuclear weapons.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, asserting that Russia had intentions to target nuclear power facilities in Ukraine. Duda indicated that this was a plausible scenario, recalling that in 2022, Russia executed a similar assault during its war against Ukraine. (PAP)
wpb/jch
