US President Joe Biden has said there would be a “response in kind” if Russian President Vladimir Putin was to order the use of chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine. He said: "We would respond. We would respond if he uses it. The nature of the response would depend on the nature of the use.”
Nato leaders have already agreed that Russia using chemical weapons would mark a “fundamental change” in the conflict that would be met with a “very severe response”. However, a Western official declined to outline what the response would be saying “we need to keep Putin guessing”.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned against allowing the threats over chemical, biological and nuclear weapons to become a “distraction”. He said: “It’s intended to be a distraction from what is really going on and that is a savage attack with conventional means on innocent people in urban centres in Ukraine, absolutely barbaric use of artillery and mortars and rockets as I’ve described, thermobaric bombs included it now seems, that is what is going on.”
