In a recent exchange of diplomatic tensions, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev issued a stark warning to Poland following remarks made by Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski regarding nuclear weapons. Sikorski had shared insights on how the US might respond to a hypothetical scenario of Russian nuclear aggression against Ukraine.
According to Sikorski, "The Americans have told the Russians that if you explode a nuke, even if it doesn't kill anybody, we will hit all your targets (positions) in Ukraine with conventional weapons, we'll destroy all of them."
Medvedev, in a social media post, cautioned against the repercussions of American strikes on Russian targets, likening such actions to igniting a global conflict. He urged foreign ministers, including Poland's, to grasp the gravity of such provocations.
"Americans hitting our targets means starting a world war, and a foreign minister, even of a country like Poland should understand that," the deputy head of the Russian Security Council wrote on Sunday.
Further escalating the discourse, Medvedev pointedly referenced Polish President Andrzej Duda's request for US tactical nuclear weapons to be stationed in Poland. He implied that Poland's advocacy for such militarization would not go unanswered, hinting at dire consequences.
The backdrop to these exchanges involves Poland's vocal support for Ukraine and its willingness to host NATO nuclear assets as a countermeasure to Russian deployments in neighboring Belarus.
Medvedev's transformation from a proponent of liberal Russian policies to a staunch hardliner has been notable, particularly in light of Russia's aggressive actions in Ukraine. His rhetoric on social media often defends the conflict, further underscoring the shift in his stance.
Sikorski's remarks likely reference concerns raised in late 2022, where reports in US media suggested apprehensions about Russia's potential use of tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine. During this period, diplomatic channels supposedly conveyed to the Kremlin that the US would respond not with nuclear escalation but with alternative formidable measures.
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