'They Are Always Mistaken': Medvedev Calls Talks About Impossibility of Nuclear War Wrong

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Nobody wants a nuclear war, and everything must be done so that a nuclear collapse never happens on Earth, but talking about its impossibility is a mistake, Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, said on Friday.

"You see, when they say that it [nuclear war] is impossible because it is never possible, they are always mistaken. Moreover, nuclear weapons have already been used in history," Medvedev told Al Jazeera, adding that all countries in the world must do everything so that a nuclear collapse never happens.

Medvedev added that in accordance with the doctrine, if Russia is attacked with nuclear weapons, its critical infrastructure is attacked or it is hit by conventional weapons that will threaten the existence of the country, Russia will launch a retaliatory nuclear strike.

The official's remarks regarding nuclear matters came about after US President Joe Biden wrote an opinion piece for the New York Times on all things Russia, particularly on the ongoing special military operation in Ukraine and the US' intentions moving forward.

Giving assurances to Americans, Biden noted in the Tuesday piece that "any use" of nuclear weapons in Ukraine would be met with "severe consequences," adding that the US does not presently have any data to suggest that Russia intends to use such weapons.

Earlier, the US went as far as entirely scrapping a Minuteman III test launch after Russia decided to put its nuclear forces on high alert in late February. At the time, Washington had initially postponed the launch so as to not heighten tensions any further.

Possible NATO Accession by Ukraine Poses Threat to Russia - Medvedev

Medvedev's interview also saw the official speak to Ukraine's potential membership in the NATO bloc, as well as recent developments surrounding the entry of both Sweden and Finland. In fact, Medvedev relayed to the outlet that Sweden and Finland joining NATO poses a lesser threat to Russia than Ukraine’s possible membership in the alliance.

"But if we talk about the entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO, then, in any case, in the configuration that has been announced, this poses a lesser threat to our country than Ukraine's entry," Medvedev told Al Jazeera.

Medvedev noted that in the case of Ukraine, the issue is in the territorial claims between the countries, underscoring that Russia and Ukraine could have come to a peaceful settlement of the conflict if not for the destructive position of NATO.

"A huge role that this did not happen was played by those who, in fact, imposed their point of view on Ukraine. I will tell you directly who they are. These are the United States, European countries and the North Atlantic Alliance. If not for its destructive position, it was possible to agree," Medvedev said.

Medvedev's commentary on Sweden and Finland's decision to join the NATO bloc mirrors remarks made earlier by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who stated that the move would not be considered a direct threat to Moscow.

The special military operation in Ukraine came after months of failed negotiations in which NATO members refused to meet Russian security concerns over Ukraine's bid to join the bloc, with Moscow having repeatedly urged NATO to stop expanding its military footprint near its borders. Putin has stated that the ongoing special military operation is intended to "neutralize" Ukraine so that NATO is unable to use it as a base from which it can strike Russia.

However, amid talks of Ukraine joining NATO, it's worth mentioning that former US ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul recently admitted that the US was effectively lying to Ukraine about its bid. The revelation was subsequently blasted by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.