Russia's Putin accuses U.S. of raising risk of nuclear war

[webfact]

Russia's Putin accuses U.S. of raising risk of nuclear war

By Polina Nikolskaya and Andrew Osborn

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during annual news conference in Moscow, Russia December 20, 2018. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

 

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Thursday accused the United States of raising the risk of nuclear war by threatening to spurn a key arms control treaty and refusing to hold talks about another pact that expires soon.

 

In a news conference that lasted more than three hours, Putin also backed U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to pull troops out of Syria, said British Prime Minister Theresa May had no choice but to implement Brexit and that Western democracy was under serious strain.

 

The annual event, the 14th of its kind, is used by Putin to burnish his leadership credentials and send messages to foreign allies and foes.

 

This year, he made clear his biggest worry was what he called a dangerous new arms race, something he accused the United States of stoking by turning its back on arms control.

 

Washington has threatened to pull out of the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) which bans Moscow and Washington from stationing short- and intermediate-range, land-based missiles in Europe.

 

Putin said the move, if it happened, would have unpredictable consequences.

 

"We are essentially witnessing the breakdown of the international arms control order and (the start of) an arms race," Putin told more than 1,000 reporters.

 

"It's very hard to imagine how the situation will develop (if the United States quits the INF treaty). If these missiles appear in Europe what should we do? Of course, we'll have to ensure our own security."

 

Putin has previously said that Russia would be forced to train its own missiles on any European countries that host U.S. rockets.

Another U.S.-Russia treaty, the New START pact, which limits the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads each side can have, expires in 2021. Putin said he was worried that Washington didn't appear to be interested in discussing its future.

 

"No talks on extending this are yet being held. Are the Americans not interested, do they not need them? Ok, we'll survive and will ensure our own security, which we know how to do. But in general, this is very bad for humankind because it takes us closer to a dangerous threshold."

 

GROWING THREAT

The Russian leader, who said Moscow had developed nuclear weapons which he believed gave it an edge over other countries, warned the threat of a nuclear conflict was growing as a result of the U.S. moves. He also cited the dangerous tendency of lowering the threshold for using nuclear weapons and the idea of using ballistic missiles with conventional warheads.

 

"If, God forbid, something like that were to happen, it would lead to the end of all civilisation and maybe also the planet," said Putin.

 

But though Putin criticised Washington, he made clear that he still hoped to meet Trump sometime soon, saying it was important the two leaders discussed issues such as arms control.

 

With relations between Moscow and Washington strained by everything from Ukraine to hacking allegations,Putin said he did not know when a meeting with Trump might take place however.

 

Putin won a landslide re-election victory in March, giving him six more years in power. Although he faces no serious political threat for now, plans to sharply raise the pension age saw his approval rating fall to below 60 percent for the first time in five years.

 

(Additional reporting by Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber, Polina Ivanova, Tom Balmforth, Darya Korsunksaya, Masha Tsvetkova, Elena Fabrichnaya, Maria Kiselyova, Ekaterina Golubkova, Vladimir Soldatkin, Andrey Ostroukh; Writing by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Jon Boyle)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-12-21

[Pedrogaz]

Putin correct again....he is a genius. Yes, the US is raising the threat of nuclear war. The warmongering Neo-cons in Washington and London want a war with Russia, but they want a conventional war which they think they can easily win. Putin is signalling that there can be no conventional war, he will use nukes if he has to.

Edited December 21, 2018 by Pedrogaz
spelling error

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

Putin correct again....he is a genius. Yes, the US is raising the threat of nuclear war. The warmongering Neo-cons in Washington and London want a war with Russia, but they want a conventional war which they think they can easily win. Putin is signalling that there can be no conventional war, he will use nukes if he has to.

That's a load of.. human processed bread.

 

There is no such thing as conventional war between nuclear powers. Nobody in power think in that naive way. 

 

No nuclear power will ever accept defeat on conventional war against another nuclear power. That simply does not happen. 

 

 

[grumpy 4680]

      What's the point of nuclear treaties, if Russia secretly continues building its nuclear capabilities, with bigger and more powerfull warheads.

      And its only Russia that's been threatening to use them if provoked, If Russia was not so parenoid, there would not be a problem, however, it is Russia that is a threat to peace after its illegal anexation of Crimea, and subsequent violations in Ukraine, and all its other illegal activities around the world

 

 

 

 

 

 

ru

[Cryingdick]

But wasn't everybody saying Putin and Trump are best buddies? It really doesn't matter at this point if Russia has 1,000 or 100 million warheads. You get to a point where both sides have enough to do the job. After that everything else is just posturing and saber rattling. Both sides can end one another at any time that's the way it has also been and that won't change.

 

 

[grumpy 4680]

3 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

But wasn't everybody saying Putin and Trump are best buddies? It really doesn't matter at this point if Russia has 1,000 or 100 million warheads. You get to a point where both sides have enough to do the job. After that everything else is just posturing and saber rattling. Both sides can end one another at any time that's the way it has also been and that won't change.

 

 

        Trump was just a corrupt business man, who needed Putins cooperation to get his hotels in Moscow, a deal that fell flat, however, the point is that a nuclear deal was in place, so the US turned its technology on conventional weapons instead of nuclear expansion, whilst Putins "wanting to make Russia great again" had other ideas.

[riclag]

51 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

But wasn't everybody saying Putin and Trump are best buddies? It really doesn't matter at this point if Russia has 1,000 or 100 million warheads. You get to a point where both sides have enough to do the job. After that everything else is just posturing and saber rattling. Both sides can end one another at any time that's the way it has also been and that won't change.

 

 

Putins so called puppet want's to nuke Putin! I remember the nuke drill sirens when I was a kid. It's good to get along  with Russia

[IAMHERE]

Why rehash the 2021 agreement now; wait till after the next US election. The Russians have the advantage now, with hypersonic missiles they'll destroy the USA before America  figure out they are under attacked. Retaliation, if capable, will be feeble, EU will surrender, same with every other country. China will be able to negotiate but only them.

 

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, IAMHERE said:

Why rehash the 2021 agreement now; wait till after the next US election. The Russians have the advantage now, with hypersonic missiles they'll destroy the USA before America  figure out they are under attacked. Retaliation, if capable, will be feeble, EU will surrender, same with every other country. China will be able to negotiate but only them.

 

Even if that would be possible, you forgot the boomers. Nuclear submarines, which hold about half of the nuclear arsenal of UK, USA, Russia and probably China and France as well. 

 

Just couple of those boomers are capable to wipe out all the human life on this planet along with most of the plant and other animal life. It's not the blast, but the fires caused by the blasts. 

 

[GreasyFingers]

1 hour ago, grumpy 4680 said:

And its only Russia that's been threatening to use them if provoked,

Have you forgotten what Trump said he would do to North Korea if provoked.

[Odysseus123]

16 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

Have you forgotten what Trump said he would do to North Korea if provoked.

Yes..but it's natural that the "good guys" threaten the "bad guys" with complete and utter destruction..

 

"Whatever happens we have got

The Maxim gun

And they have not.."

 

Unfortunately Mr Putin has a Maxim gun..or two.

 

You can always tell the good guys because they wear white hats-awfully good of God to colour code things in such a way..otherwise we might become a trifle confused.

Edited December 21, 2018 by Odysseus123

[GreasyFingers]

54 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

Yes..but it's natural that the "good guys" threaten the "bad guys" with complete and utter destruction..

 

"Whatever happens we have got

The Maxim gun

And they have not.."

 

Unfortunately Mr Putin has a Maxim gun..or two.

 

You can always tell the good guys because they wear white hats-awfully good of God to colour code things in such a way..otherwise we might become a trifle confused.

What colour hat does Putin have, black or red.

[Jack100]

2 hours ago, grumpy 4680 said:

        Trump was just a corrupt business man, who needed Putins cooperation to get his hotels in Moscow, a deal that fell flat, however, the point is that a nuclear deal was in place, so the US turned its technology on conventional weapons instead of nuclear expansion, whilst Putins "wanting to make Russia great again" had other ideas.

Grumpy  - you forgot to mention the photos !

[Guest]

2 hours ago, riclag said:

Putins so called puppet want's to nuke Putin! I remember the nuke drill sirens when I was a kid. It's good to get along  with Russia

Are you aware that each leader of every nuclear power knows very well that there can not ever be a nuclear confrontation between nuclear powers?

 

The simple fact for that is that in case of nuclear war, we all die. Yes, we all. Even the kids and grandkids of these leaders die in rather miserable circumstances. Not immediately, but after couple of years, provided they survived the strikes in underneath bunker with food and clean water for few years. 

 

.. I forgot to say, that there can not ever be a nuclear confrontation between nuclear powers, while we have rationally thinking people responsible of the nuclear buttons.. 

 

Currently. Name the leaders who has access to the nuclear button, who, during red mist of anger, could launch a nuclear war which kills pretty much everybody.

 

 

Edited December 21, 2018 by Guest
rationality

[Justgrazing]

Comrade Vlad's full of sh*t again trying to make up for his lack of stature issuing warnings of foreboding .. There have been far more fractious times in past decades when Armageddon appeared to be on the horizon .. B59 a Soviet sub during Cuban Missile crisis was one man's ( Sub detatchment commander Vasili Arkhipov ) consent away from launching a nuclear torpedo at American warships that were depth-charging it to force it surface and he held off fully realising the implications of such an order even though the crew actually thought that War had already commenced .. Nato's Operation Able Archer 83 was another occasion which severely spooked the Soviets to the point where MAD was ready to be served up to the world .. But on both occasions sense prevailed the diplo's got talking , concessions were traded and obliteration was avoided .. Nothing has changed both protagonist's the US and Russia know that if it kicks off big style then its goodnight Vienna for just about all of us .. no winners , all losers .. As for the supposed advantage that Russia claims to have in being able to intercept incoming US missiles first .. That's all it is .. a claim .. The dynamics of trying to destroy incoming US missles travelling at 000's of mph are nigh on inquantifiable the slightest error in calculations will see interceptors miss by miles and allow said incoming to get through .. and the destructive power of just one of the multiple warheads they carry will raise a Russian city to the ground .. There is also the quality of Russian military hardware which is suspect at best in some aspect's ( remember the Kursk nuclear submarine self detonating early 2000's ? ) The Kuznetzov aircraft carrier the only one they have that bears any comparison to the U S Nimitz class carriers of which the Americans have 9 needs to escorted by tugs wherever it goes for fear of breaking down at sea .. The Russian Airforce is outnumbered nearly 2 to 1 in both aircraft and personnel by America and the number of the latest Russian offensive aircraft that can be held in comparison to the Yankee kit is less than 500 up against nearly 2000 modern US offensive planes .. And on it goes .. 

The concept of MAD has been well understood by every nation that hold Nuclear fireworks for decades and the apocalyptical consequences of using them hasn't changed now that Vlad the short is in charge .. And he knows it so rather than coming out with the same rhetoric that one of his predecessor's Krushchev ranted at Western leaders Moscow 1956 about " burying " the West ( later denied as being lost in translation ) he should get himself some high heel shoes start sorting out some of the problems in the Motherland and learn to be less proactive on the issuing of threats front .. Amen ..

Edited December 21, 2018 by Justgrazing
Sp

[Peasandmash]

"Putin correct again....he is a genius. Yes, the US is raising the threat of nuclear war. The warmongering Neo-cons in Washington and London want a war with Russia, but they want a conventional war which they think they can easily win. Putin is signalling that there can be no conventional war, he will use nukes if he has to."

 

neo-cons in Washington create value.

Putin has spent a lifetime creating an empire.

according to ur logic, a genius would use nuclear weapons to destroy mankind in defense of saving their personal empire. This sounds like a madman.

Merry Christmas

 

 

 

Edited December 21, 2018 by Peasandmash

[Guest]

Real life politics

 

Russia is pissed because NATO expanded far beyond, lot closer to Russia, than was agreed. 

 

Ukraine got assuranced by Russia, USA and EU. Ukraine gained those assurances, when it gave up the nuclear weapons it hold. 

 

Russia was the first country to support Ukraine. Instead of helping Ukraine, the Russian troops occupied Ukraine. 

 

 

Ukraine became a non nuclear power. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_weapons_and_Ukraine