Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba calls the order an attempt by Russia to put pressure on Ukraine during negotiations between the two countries announced today. “If Putin uses nuclear weapons against Ukraine it will be a catastrophe for the world, but it will not break us,” he said.
Putin’s order fits a pattern, according to the White House. According to a spokesman for US President Joe Biden, Putin invents non-existent threats to justify his own aggression. “We have seen Putin do this over and over again. At no time has Russia been under threat from NATO or Ukraine. This is a pattern of Putin that we oppose. We can defend ourselves, but it’s important to name what we see happening here,” said press secretary Jen Psaki.
The United States is considering imposing more far-reaching sanctions. For example, the Russian energy market could be affected, but the effect on the global energy market should be minimized.|
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg speaks to CNN of ‘dangerous rhetoric and irresponsible behavior by Putin’. According to Stoltenberg, the president’s statement fits in with his aggressive manner of speaking in recent weeks.