Photo: nato

This article was first published by Truthmeter.mk (North Macedonia), within the framework of Western Balkans Anti-Disinformation Project.

The Western world neither threatens nor seeks nuclear war, nor does it provoke one. Since the beginning of Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, the Russian side has repeatedly engaged in nuclear rhetoric and issued threats, including at the highest levels of government. NATO has condemned this behavior and has consistently emphasized that the West does not desire nuclear conflict

We are analyze a post on the social network Facebook that shares a photo of Russian President Vladimir Putin (with a cross on which is written “will European countries automatically be drawn into a military conflict with Russia”) and reads:

If it weren’t for Putin, the world would have been lost in a nuclear war by now. For years, he has been explaining to the Atlanticists, like kindergarten children, that they shouldn’t do what they are doing in and through Ukraine against Russia. Every day, at meetings, conferences, in statements, he “draws it out” to them over and over again, explains, and clarifies that this is a game in which they will certainly not defeat Russia, but it is as if he were talking to a wall.

I have not seen, there is really no politician like him who is so persistently trying to save the world from a cataclysm. And the Atlanticists are relentlessly pushing their own agenda. It seems that they will still cause a nuclear war and there will be no more world that they want to completely rule so much. So much so that they are ready to burn it to ashes.

Contrary to what was stated in the post, on September 25, 2024, The Guardian reported that Putin had warned the West that he was considering using nuclear weapons.

Vladimir Putin has escalated his nuclear rhetoric, telling a group of senior officials that Russia would consider using nuclear weapons if it was attacked by any state with conventional weapons. The comments marked Russia’s strongest warning yet to the West against allowing Ukraine to launch deep strikes into Russian territory using long-range western missiles. Putin said that Russia would consider using nuclear weapons if Moscow received “reliable information” about the start of a massive launch of missiles, aircraft or drones against it, says “The Guardian.”

The West is not threatening Russia with nuclear weapons, contrary to what is stated in the post. On the NATO website under number 12 to the question “What is NATO’s response to Russia’s dangerous rhetoric around nuclear, chemical and biological weapons” it is written:

Russia’s threatening nuclear rhetoric is dangerous and irresponsible. NATO takes these threats seriously, but will not be intimidated. NATO remains vigilant and conveys a clear message to Russia that a nuclear war cannot be won and should never be fought. Any use of nuclear weapons by Russia would fundamentally change the nature of the war, and it would have severe consequences for Russia. Furthermore, NATO Allies are profoundly concerned by the reported use of chemical weapons by Russia against Ukrainian forces. Any use by Russia of a chemical or biological weapon would be a violation of international law and a war crime, and result in severe consequences, says NATO’s website.

A December 2024 briefing notes Russia’s heightened rhetoric of nuclear threats. Putin has increasingly used the threat of Russia’s nuclear arsenal to pressure the West regarding the military and diplomatic support for Ukraine following Russia’s 2022 military invasion. As part of its nuclear pressure campaign, Russia has placed its nuclear weapons on high alert, tested new nuclear capabilities, threatened to halt nuclear testing, and suspended participation in a key treaty with the United States.

In March 2023, Russia announced that it would deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus. This is the first time Russia has done so outside its territory since the collapse of the Soviet Union. In November 2024, Putin also approved changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine that many experts see as lowering the threshold for using nuclear weapons.

G7 members, including nuclear powers France, the United States , and the United Kingdom, have called Russia’s nuclear stance irresponsible and unacceptable. In June 2023, former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg condemned Russia’s reckless nuclear rhetoric.

President Putin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and Dmitry Medvedev have frequently referred to Russia’s nuclear arsenal in the context of Ukraine. In 2022, Putin warned against outside interference in Ukraine or a direct attack on Russia, saying that Russia would respond immediately and “the consequences will be the likes of which you have never seen before in all of history.”

On February 27, 2022, Putin ordered Russia’s nuclear forces to be put on a higher state of alert. Putin said he was issuing the order in response to escalating economic sanctions and “aggressive statements” by the West following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

On April 20, 2022, Russia tested the “Sarmat” intercontinental ballistic missile.
On May 12, Medvedev said that NATO support and assistance to Ukraine risked conflict with Russia and “full-scale nuclear war.”

Numerous other threats can be read on page 5 of the briefing.

Due to all the above facts, we assess the post we are reviewing as untrue. The Western world neither threatens nor seeks nuclear war, nor does it provoke one. Since the beginning of Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, the Russian side has repeatedly engaged in nuclear rhetoric and issued threats, including at the highest levels of government. NATO has condemned this behavior and has consistently emphasized that the West does not desire nuclear conflict.