A close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a stern nuclear warning to the United States, escalating tensions between the two nations. Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council and former president, voiced his concerns in a Telegram post criticizing discussions about the potential transfer of U.S. nuclear weapons to Ukraine.
Responding to these allegations, the White House told Newsweek: "We are not planning to equip Ukraine with nuclear weapons." Medvedev, however, appeared unconvinced, stating on Telegram:
"American politicians and journalists are seriously discussing transferring nuclear weapons to Kyiv. My remark about senile Biden wanting to take much of humanity with him no longer feels like a joke—it’s becoming frighteningly real. Giving nuclear weapons to a country at war with the largest nuclear power is so absurd it suggests paranoia among U.S. leadership."
Medvedev elaborated further, warning:
- The mere suggestion of transferring nuclear weapons to Ukraine could be seen as a precursor to nuclear conflict with Russia.
- Any actual transfer would be considered an act of aggression under Article 19 of Russia’s 2020 nuclear doctrine.
Medvedev’s reference to Article 19 highlights the circumstances under which Russia may use nuclear weapons, including ballistic missile attacks on Russia or its allies, the use of weapons of mass destruction, or threats to the state’s existence from conventional aggression.
In his Telegram post, Medvedev also mentioned the new Russian hypersonic missile, Oreshnik, claiming it is capable of causing “unacceptable damage” to Europe within minutes if equipped with nuclear warheads, and reiterated his opposition to Western support for Ukraine.
Medvedev criticized President Joe Biden’s approval of Ukraine’s use of U.S.-made ATACMS for deep strikes into Russian territory, framing these actions as provocations that could escalate to World War III. Last week’s strikes on Bryansk using ATACMS, he claimed, could justify Russian retaliation against Kyiv and NATO facilities.
Medvedev’s comments come amid reflections on Ukraine's nuclear disarmament in the 1990s. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Ukraine relinquished its substantial nuclear arsenal—once the world’s third largest—under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum in exchange for assurances of sovereignty from Russia, the U.S., and the U.K. This decision has faced scrutiny since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, instrumental in the Budapest Memorandum, expressed regret earlier this year, suggesting Russia might not have invaded if Ukraine had retained its nuclear weapons. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky echoed similar sentiments, advocating for stronger alliances to deter aggression but clarifying that Ukraine is not pursuing nuclear weapons.
As tensions mount, the nuclear rhetoric from Russian officials underlines the increasingly fragile state of global security.
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