Sullivan, Blinken Promise ‘Catastrophic, Horrific Consequences’ if Russia Uses Nuclear Weapons in Ukraine

Sept. 26, 2022 (EIRNS)—During an appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation” yesterday, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan promised that the U.S. will continue to supply weapons to the Kiev regime, will not recognize the results of the referenda on joining Russia underway in four regions, and that the U.S. “will respond decisively” if Russia uses nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

“As President Biden made clear on Friday, nothing that Russia has done with this mobilization of troops, with the sham referenda in the occupied regions, is going to deter us from providing Ukraine with the necessary means and technologies they need to defend themselves,” Sullivan stated. “We have been crystal clear up to and including President Biden that we will not recognize the sham referenda, they in no way represent the will of the Ukrainian people,” he claimed further.

“And we will treat this territory for what it is—Ukrainian territory, not Russian territory. And we will continue to support the Ukrainians as they seek to deoccupy this territory. (Emphasis added.) So we’ve been clear, we’re not going to stop or slow down our support to the Ukrainians, no matter what Putin tries to do with these fake elections and fake referenda and annexation.”

As for the allegation that Russia is preparing to use nuclear weapons, Sullivan effectively confirmed the Washington Post story of the other day. “We have communicated directly, privately, at very high levels to the Kremlin, that any use of nuclear weapons will be met with catastrophic consequences for Russia, that the United States in our allies will respond decisively,” he said. “And we have been clear and specific about what that will entail. We have, in public, been equally clear, as a matter of principle, that the United States will respond decisively if Russia uses nuclear weapons and that we will continue to support Ukraine in its efforts to defend its country and defend its democracy.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken followed several hours later with similar remarks during an interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes.” He particularly repeated the line that Russia could well use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. “[W]e’ve heard a lot of irresponsible rhetoric coming out of Vladimir Putin, but we’re focused on making sure that we’re all acting responsibly, especially when it comes to this kind of loose rhetoric,” he claimed. “We have—been very clear with Russians publicly, as well as privately to stop the loose talk about nuclear weapons.”

In Blinken’s view, there’s only one way for Russia to get out of the war in Ukraine. “Vladimir Putin has a clear way out of the war he started and that’s to end it,” he said. “If Russia stops fighting, the war ends. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends.”