Kremlin speaks of call for “Third World War”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has touched a sensitive nerve with his call for “preventive strikes” – not only in Moscow. While the Kremlin spoke of a call to start the “Third World War”, Kyiv assured that Zelenskyi had been misunderstood during his video appearance in front of Australian opinion makers on Thursday. US President Joe Biden sees the threat of a nuclear confrontation after threats from the Kremlin as greater than it has been in 60 years.

Zelenskyj: NATO must prevent Russian use of nuclear weapons

According to Zelenskyj, NATO must prevent the possibility of a Russian use of nuclear weapons – if necessary with preventive strikes. Zelenskyj emphasized the importance of preventive measures during an appearance in front of the Lowy Institute on Thursday. NATO “must rule out the possibility of Russia using nuclear weapons. But it is important – and that’s why I’m turning to the international community, as I did before February 24 – that these are preventive strikes, so that they know what’s in store for them if they use them.” He emphasized: “Not the other way around: wait for strikes from Russia, and then to say: “Oh, you’re getting me like that, then you’ll get it from us now”.

Selenskyj’s spokesman Serhij Nykyforow immediately emphasized that his demand had been misunderstood. The Ukrainian President only said that before February 24 – the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine – preventive measures were necessary to prevent the war.

In his speech, the Ukrainian President refused to cede territory to Russia in order to appease Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin and achieve peace. The aggressor should not be rewarded for starting the war, but must be defeated. According to the 44-year-old, Putin will not survive a nuclear attack on Ukraine.

Kremlin: Zelenskyj calls for the start of World War III

The Kremlin has sharply condemned Zelenskyy’s comments on NATO’s possible preventive strikes against Russia. “Zelensky’s statements are nothing more than a call to start World War III with unforeseeable terrible consequences,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. The Russian Foreign Ministry also heavily criticized Zelenskyj’s statements.

According to Peskov, the United States and Britain are directing Kiev’s actions. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed that the West was initiating a nuclear war. “Every person on the planet needs to realize that the weapon-filled and unstable puppet Zelenskyy has turned into a monster with hands that can destroy the entire planet,” she said.

Read our comment on the topic: “Zelenskyj should not offer Russia nuclear templates” here

Biden: Closer to “Armageddon” than since the Cuban Missile Crisis

US President Biden sees the risk of a nuclear confrontation with catastrophic consequences after threats from the Kremlin as greater than it has been in 60 years. The world has not faced the prospect of “Armageddon” since the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, Biden said on Thursday (local time), according to journalists traveling with him at a performance in New York. He knows Putin pretty well, according to Biden. The Kremlin chief does not joke when he talks about the potential use of tactical nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, as the Russian military is weak in the fighting in Ukraine.

Selenskyj demands further pressure against Moscow and the return of the nuclear power plant to Kyiv

In his evening video speech, Zelenskyj did not respond to his irritation-causing words. Instead, he once again emphasized the nuclear danger emanating from Russia. He called on the West to keep up the pressure on Moscow – also to force the return of the annexed Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. “I thank everyone for their support who is fighting for the return of full Ukrainian control over the power plant and its full demilitarization,” said Zelenskyy. He described the 500 Russian soldiers in the nuclear facility as a disaster risk.

Kremlin chief Putin took possession of the nuclear power plant for Russia on Wednesday as part of the annexation. Selenskyj called the step “worthless and stupid”. A nuclear power plant is not a palace that can be stolen, he alluded to revelations about Putin’s luxury palace on the Black Sea. At the same time, Selenskyj thanked the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi. He assured him that the IAEA only considered Ukraine to be the owner of the nuclear power plant.

Selenskyj also demanded diplomatic pressure from the EU in order to achieve the return of the nuclear power plant. Otherwise Ukraine would not be able to produce excess electricity for export to the EU. He praised the new EU sanctions package. At the same time, he urged Russia to stop making profits from oil and gas sales.