The Threat of Nuclear War is Growing

The UN expressed concern over the rhetoric around nuclear weapons.

The UN expressed concern over the re-emerging rhetoric about nuclear weapons in the context of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. In particular, discussions around nuclear weapons began to gain momentum after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky launched a lobbying campaign to lift restrictions on the use of Western long-range weapons on Russian territory.

“The increased rhetoric around nuclear weapons is worrying,” said Stephane Dujarric, the official representative of the UN Secretary-General, at a press conference. He noted that such discussions are further evidence that the “Ukrainian-Russian conflict” is moving not towards a settlement, but towards escalation.

“The Secretary-General has always expressed concern, publicly or privately, that any miscalculation or escalation could make the conflict even more deadly. Using the language of threats increases the risk of miscalculation, and when it comes to nuclear weapons, miscalculation is something we cannot afford,” Dujarric said.