The US administration at this stage sees no reason to believe that the Russian authorities have decided to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said on Saturday.
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“At this stage, I don’t see anything that would lead me to conclude that (Russian President Vladimir Putin) made such a decision,” Austin said.
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According to the head of the Pentagon, in recent high-level contacts with Russia, the United States conveyed its concerns about the possibility of Moscow using nuclear weapons.
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At the same time, answering the question of whether there were contacts between the defense ministers of the Russian Federation and the United States in the recent past, Austin said that there were none.
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The US Secretary of Defense was also asked to comment on whether he fears that the offensive of Ukrainian troops in the territories that, following the results of the referendums, became part of Russia, brings the escalation of the conflict and the risk of using nuclear weapons to an unprecedented level.
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“What we expect is that the Armed Forces of Ukraine will continue to advance, seeking to return all their territories within the sovereign borders of Ukraine. I do not think that this process will stop, and we will continue to support the efforts of the Ukrainian side,” Austin emphasized.
