by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Ukraine’s Western allies have condemned Russia’s proposed nuclear doctrine changes, which could classify a “massive” aerial attack by a non-nuclear state backed by a nuclear-armed state as a “joint attack,” potentially justifying a nuclear retaliation by Russia.
President Vladimir Putin proposed the update on Wednesday, which he can approve. The move is widely seen as a direct reference to Ukraine, as Kyiv urges its Western allies to allow the use of long-range weapons to target deep within Russia.
The Kremlin’s decision to amend Russia’s nuclear doctrine is a direct response to discussions in the US and UK over whether to allow Ukraine to launch conventional Western missiles into Russian territory.
Putin cited an example where Russia receives “reliable information of a massive launch of air and space attack weapons and their crossing our state border” as a scenario that could lead to nuclear retaliation.
Speaking on Thursday’s sidelines of the UN General Assembly, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticized the proposed amendment, calling it “totally irresponsible.”
In an interview with MSNBC, Blinken added, “I think many in the world have spoken clearly about that when he’s been rattling the nuclear saber, including China in the past.”
European Union foreign policy spokesman Peter Stano condemned the plan as “reckless and irresponsible,” stating, “Not for the first time, Putin is playing [a] gamble with his nuclear arsenal.” He added, “We of course strongly reject these threats.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that changes had been made to “The Foundations of State Policy in the Sphere of Nuclear Deterrence.” When asked if this was a message to the West, he replied, “This should be considered a definite signal.”
In response to Moscow’s changes to its nuclear doctrine, President Biden announced an additional $8 billion in security aid for Ukraine on Thursday. The package includes $5.5 billion from a previously authorized presidential drawdown, set to expire on Monday, and $2.4 billion from the Department of Defense under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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