Vladimir Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, warned CBC and CTV broadcasters this week that if Russia chose to use nuclear weapons on Kiev, the world should make it known that it would be met with an instant military response. The head of Ukraine claimed that Moscow only speaks the language of coercion and accused Russia of utilizing “terrorist” blackmail techniques.
Zelensky asserted that Moscow has frequently threatened to attack “decision-making centers” in Ukraine, including with nuclear weapons, and he suggested that the international community should react in the event that such a strike does occur. It is irrelevant whether Ukraine is a member of NATO or a non-member state, he said, adding that no one should be permitted to “blackmail [other countries] like a terrorist.”
“If you hit Bankova Street [the Ukrainian President’s Office], there will be a strike at where you are,” the world should inform the Russians, according to the Ukrainian president.
Regardless of the outcome of the Russian attack, he said, if Moscow does attack Kiev, there should be “a strike at the decision-making centers” in Russia the next “second.” Zelensky asserted that such a posture would instead be a form of self-defense that would ostensibly stop the person giving the threat from carrying out their objectives rather than being used as blackmail.
The Ukrainian president told reporters, “One may talk about humanism for a long time,” adding that his country had a “neighbor that does not comprehend anything but power” in its neighborhood.
The president of Ukraine openly condemned all Russians for what is happening in his country. He continued, saying that the Russians “support a terrorist authority,” and that their culture “must know that they assault our [Ukrainian] society.” Zelensky warned that if the Russians did not apply pressure to President Vladimir Putin, “the world would distance itself from you,” adding that since Russia only uses “the language of threats,” no one would communicate with it. The president of Ukraine said that since “they are terrorists today,” the rest of the world must chose with whom to negotiate in Russia. each one of them
The Ukrainian president has previously made similar calls. He has previously urged NATO to attack Russia in advance to avert the use of nuclear weapons. At the time, Zelensky’s remarks drew a furious response from Moscow, which charged him with attempting to start a third global war. Zelensky then apologized, saying that he had meant to say “preventative kicks,” and that the translation was to blame for the mistake.
Later, the president of Ukraine retracted his remarks, stating that they had been mistranslated and that he had really meant to imply preemptive sanctions rather than “preemptive attacks.”
Putin stated that Russia will protect its territory with all available means and would “do everything to safeguard the security of its people” back in September. He urged Ukraine to “stop all hostilities” and come to the negotiation table while also stating that Moscow was prepared for discussions with Kiev.
He spoke during a ceremony to sign agreements bringing the provinces of Kherson and Zaporozhye, which proclaimed independence from Ukraine, as well as the Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics (LPR and DPR) into Russia. Moscow responded by declaring that any future talks with Ukraine will not include discussions about the status of the four regions, which formally joined Russia a week later.
