EU Labels Putin's Latest Nuclear Blackmail Towards the West as Part of "Election" Campaign
Threats and nuclear blackmail against the West are part of Putin's "election" campaign and his attempt to divert the attention of the Russian and world community from the fact that it was he who started the bloody war of aggression against Ukraine and is responsible for its consequences.
This was stated in Brussels during a press briefing by EU spokesperson Peter Stano, commenting on the latest threats made in the Russian president's address to the Federal Assembly of the country, Ukrinform reports.
"First of all, this speech should be seen in the context of the upcoming presidential election, where Putin intends to be "re-elected". This is one of many examples of how Putin is trying to avoid accusations that he started the war against Ukraine and continues to bring instability to Ukraine and the wider region. This is another opportunity for him to spread his well-known lies and threats. He is misleading his own people and trying to deceive the international community as well, if anyone is still listening," the EU spokesperson said.
He stressed that it was Putin who started the war against Ukraine, and he is responsible for all its consequences, both internally in Russia and for Ukraine and the wider region, as well as globally.
"Of course, all these threats with nuclear weapons are absolutely unacceptable and inappropriate. It is Putin who started the war and continues to spread instability to his own society. What has he achieved? The whole country (Russia - ed.) is living under the iron fist of repression, reminiscent of Stalin's times. The army is in a state of complete disaster. The economy is shrinking. Trust in the country has been completely destroyed. At the same time, Putin's efforts to destroy Ukraine remain nothing but a failure," Stano added.
On 29 February, during his "message to the Federal Assembly", President of the aggressor state Vladimir Putin threatened "possible interventionists" from the West with "a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons" and "the destruction of civilisation".