European leaders said Friday that President Joe Biden’s warning about “Armageddon” and Russia’s possible use of nuclear weapons shows the seriousness of the threat from Moscow’s escalation in Ukraine.
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas told reporters that Vladimir Putin’s nuclear threats should be taken very seriously. “If nuclear weapons are used, then this is a whole new level,” she said. “And nobody can win a nuclear war. This is very clear. And I understand those messages have been given to Putin and the Kremlin that you can’t win this war.”
In recent days, U.S. and other western officials have downplayed the imminent risk of a nuclear weapon being used, saying there were no indications that Moscow is preparing to use its arsenal. The Russian president has renewed his nuclear rhetoric as he announced the annexation of Ukrainian territory, but it echoes similar warnings he has issued since he invaded Ukraine in February.
