Lead
ST. PETERSBURG, June 24. The West is not crazy enough to deliberately provoke Russia into using nuclear weapons, according to Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council. Speaking on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum (SPILF), Medvedev said Western leaders understand the grave consequences of a nuclear conflict and therefore lack a concerted strategy to push Russia toward such an escalation, as reported by TASS.
Coverage Comparison
The story was covered by TASS in two reports from the forum. In one, Medvedev addressed the nuclear question directly, dismissing the idea that the West has a plan to force Russia into using nuclear arms. In the other, he turned his attention to NATO, arguing that the alliance's unity collapses in real combat. Both reports quote Medvedev directly and reflect his critical view of Western actions.
Key Claims
Medvedev stated that Western nations do not have a deliberate strategy to provoke Russia into using nuclear weapons. He described such a scenario as unthinkable for Western leaders, saying, "I believe they have no deliberate strategy to provoke us into using nuclear weapons, because although there are different people in the West and in Europe, and you know the epithets I use for most European leaders, they do not want to die in a global nuclear disaster."
He also accused the West of promoting a narrative about using nuclear weapons to force Moscow to "capitulate on a number of issues." Medvedev called such actions "short-sighted, and at times simply foolish," adding that people in the West are trying to sustain tensions through their own actions. He expressed confidence that every Western politician understands the consequences of a nuclear conflict, warning that "playing games with this issue will not end well for them."
In his remarks on NATO, Medvedev asserted that "when it comes to a real battle, the spirit of North Atlantic unity evaporates very quickly." He cited the aftermath of strikes on Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as examples of how quickly Washington's allies can turn their backs, noting that "the US president gets offended because they didn't help him." He further warned that such "provocative actions ramp up the threat of a global war dramatically."