Zelensky believes that this time Putin is not bluffing.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi said on Sunday that does not believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin is bluffing with his threats to use nuclear weapons and urged Ukraine's allies to keep up the pressure on Putin to restrain him.
Maybe yesterday was a bluff. Now it can be a reality,” Zelensky said in an interview with “Face to the Nation” on the CBS News channel.
He wants to scare the whole world. These are the first steps of his nuclear blackmail. I don't think he's bluffing. I think the world is holding him back and holding this threat back.”
Last week, Putin threatened to use nuclear weapons, announcing a partial mobilization of his military reserves, prompting Russian men of fighting age. to flee the country.
On Friday, President Biden said that referendums are a “sham”and “a false pretext for the attempted annexation of parts of Ukraine,” and Zelensky warned that the annexation would make it impossible to continue diplomatic negotiations with Putin.
“He knows this perfectly well. I spoke about it publicly,” Zelenskyi said about Putin. “I think this is a very dangerous signal from President Putin, telling us that Putin has no intention of ending this war. This is what is happening.”
The president of Ukraine called on the US and European allies to continue imposing sanctions against Putin, but also called on the Biden administration to recognize Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.
“I understand that there will be consequences. These consequences will make diplomatic negotiations impossible,” Zelenskyy said. “However, they are terrorists and we cannot allow them to do this out of fear. They will not give up. We need to keep up the pressure.”
The White House, however, said earlier this month that Biden would not designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism because of the “unintended consequences” for Ukraine and the world.
Zelenskyi also stated that it is vital for Ukraine to continue to acquire highly mobile artillery missile systems (HIMARS), artillery and air defense systems. The Biden administration has asked Congress to approve another $12 billion for Ukraine, but lawmakers have yet to act.
Also read: WP: US privately warns Russia it will regret if it uses nuclear weapons against Ukraine
“Why do we need this? We need security so that our Ukrainians can return home,” he said. “If it's safe, they'll come, settle, work here and pay taxes, and then we won't have a $5 billion deficit in our budget. So it will be a plus for everyone.” Zelensky said that the coming winter months will be a problem for Ukraine and expects Russia to target the country's energy system. “But we are not afraid of that.” , – he said. “We will fight and we will not give up. It is very important that they do not make other countries, the United States of America and Europe suffer. Now we are suffering. We are fighting and giving our lives for the future of democracy and an open world.”
Zelensky also predicted that he will be a target of Putin not only because he fought back against Russia and its invasion, but also as the country's leader.
“He is doing everything possible to destabilize our country, so that we become weaker,” he said. “And for that, of course, he wants to divide us, I am one of the targets, of course, that goes without saying.”
Related video
About what the winter will be like in read the conditions of war for Ukrainians and the world in Oleg Pokalchuk's article “Winter of our worries”.
