Blinken calls Putin “irresponsible” for his announcement on the renewal of the Russian nuclear doctrine

September 26 () –

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday called Russian President Vladimir Putin “totally irresponsible” for his announcement to revamp Russia’s nuclear doctrine, which broadens the types and sources of threats to the country’s security.

“It’s totally irresponsible and I think many around the world have spoken clearly about that when he’s made noise about the nuclear issue, including China in the past,” Blinken said during an interview with MSNBC.

Blinken also said that such announcements “while the world is meeting in New York” in the framework of the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly – where there are even meetings on disarmament and non-proliferation – “will play a dirty trick” on Russia.

The new criteria go beyond nuclear threats against Russia. Putin said yesterday that a nuclear response would be justified “even if the enemy, using conventional weapons, creates a critical threat” to Russian sovereignty. An attack by a “non-nuclear state” supported by a nuclear state would also be considered a “joint attack on Russia.”

These comments are a warning to Western countries that they might give Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the green light to carry out long-range attacks on Russian territory. Putin has already warned that if they agreed to such an extreme, it would mean NATO’s entry into a “war with Russia.”