As the Ukraine-Russia war continues, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said recently that India and China may have helped persuade Moscow to avoid using nuclear weapons. The remarks came as the war marked its first anniversary and concerns grow about a Russian spring offensive.
“…other countries that might have a little bit more influence with Russia these days, like China, but also other countries, like India, to engage him directly about their absolute opposition to any use of nuclear weapons. And we know that they conveyed those messages. And I think that had some effect," Blinken told The Atlantic during an interview published on Friday.
He also touched upon the longstanding diplomatic ties between India and Russia, noting that it was ‘challenging to break off in one fell sweep’. However, according to Blinken things had indeed changed in recent years.
“India, for decades, had Russia providing military equipment to it and its defenses. But what we’ve seen over the last few years is a trajectory away from relying on Russia and moving into partnership with us and with other countries, France and so forth…" he said.
As concerns about a nuclear escalation continue, Russian President Vladimir Putin said this week that Rosatom and his Defense Ministry need to work on ensuring that the country was ready to resume nuclear weapons tests if needed.
Meanwhile, China called for urgent peace talks on Friday as it released its plan to end the war in Ukraine. While Western powers rebuffed the proposal certain segments pertaining to the use of nukes found favour. The United Nations expressed cautious optimism over the Chinese proposals, particularly over the document's call to avoid using nuclear weapons.
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