China may have stopped Putin from using nuclear weapons, says Blinken

China may have dissuaded Russian President Vladimir Putin from deploying nuclear weapons amid Russia’s war against Ukraine, outgoing US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview with the Financial Times (FT) on the 3rd. of January.

Beijing has become Moscow’s main ally and financial backer since the large-scale invasion in February 2022, although Porcelain has denied accusations of supporting Russia’s military efforts.

China may have exerted its influence on Russia to intervene when Putin was considering a nuclear escalation, Blinken said heist.

“We have reason to believe that China contacted Russia and said, ‘Don’t go there,'” he said.

Blinken said the United States had been “very concerned” that Putin appeared to be considering nuclear weapons.

“Even if the probability went from 5 to 15%, when it comes to nuclear weapons, nothing is more serious,” he said.

Blinken also claimed that China could have intervened in a similar way after the United States warned Beijing that Putin was planning launch a nuclear weapon into space.

Fear of an escalation of hostilities with nuclear-armed Russia has been a driving factor in the current US administration’s policy toward Ukraine. under president joe bidenThe White House delayed deliveries of certain weapons and denied kyiv permission to launch strikes deep inside Russian territory, citing Putin’s “red lines.”

Putin began a new round of nuclear saber rattling in late November after Biden allowed Ukraine attack some Russian targets with long-range weapons made in the United States. Putin reviewed Russia’s policy nuclear doctrineexpanding the criteria under which the country can launch a nuclear attack.

Despite these measures, US intelligence sources have said that the risk of a Russian nuclear attack has not increased and remains unlikely.

Blinken defended Biden’s record in Russia and Ukraine, saying Putin suffered a “strategic defeat” and that NATO has been strengthened.

Biden’s term ends at the end of this month, when US President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20. Republican senator marcorubio He will replace Blinken as Secretary of State.