Ex-Kremlin chief Dmitry Medvedev has rejected calls by US President Joe Biden in Warsaw for Russian troops to withdraw from Ukraine.
"If the US stops supplying weapons to the regime in Kiev, then the war will end," wrote the deputy head of Russia's National Security Council on the Telegram news channel. "If Russia ends the military special operation without a victory, then Russia will no longer exist, it will be torn into pieces," said Medvedev. Russia started the war against Ukraine on February 24 last year.
Medvedev accuses the US of "megalomania".
At the same time, Medvedev, in his usual abusive manner, criticized the fact that Biden addressed the Russian people from Warsaw on Tuesday in front of Polish citizens. "Who is this strange grandpa anyway, who speaks from Poland with a lost look? Why is he appealing to the people of another country at a time when he has enough problems at home?" Medvedev said. He accused the United States, which had triggered many wars in the world, of "megalomania".
Biden gave a speech on the anniversary of the war in Warsaw on Tuesday. He finally turned to the people of Russia. "The United States and European nations do not want to control or destroy Russia," he said. Before the war began, the West had no intention of attacking Russia, as Putin claims. "Every day that the war goes on is his decision. He could end the war with one word. It's very simple."
Warning of nuclear confrontation
With regard to the planned suspension of the last nuclear disarmament treaty with the USA, Medvedev warned against a nuclear confrontation with the West.
"If the United States wants Russia to be defeated, then we have the right to defend ourselves with any weapon, including nuclear weapons," he wrote on the Telegram news channel. Then the world would be on the brink of a global conflict, the ex-Kremlin chief warned.
In his address to the nation, President Vladimir Putin said that Russia cannot be defeated. He announced the suspension of the "New Start" treaty with the USA on nuclear arms control and the limitation of nuclear warheads. A day after the announcement, Russia enshrined the suspension of the treaty in law. The members of parliament in Moscow unanimously passed a corresponding law on Wednesday.
Medvedev said the decision was a consequence of the US and other NATO countries declaring war on Russia. Western states have not declared war on Russia and have repeatedly emphasized that they do not want to become a war party in Ukraine. Russia invaded the neighboring country on February 24, 2022.
"New Start" contract: suspension, no exit
Russia had repeatedly warned of a new nuclear arms race like in the Cold War should "New Start" end. Putin emphasized that this is currently a suspension and not an exit from the contract, which is still valid until 2026.
Ex-President Medvedev has now warned of far-reaching consequences for the world should Russia withdraw from the agreement. At the same time, he said that the previous agreements between the two largest nuclear powers, Russia and the USA, did not take into account nuclear warheads from the NATO countries France and Great Britain. But it is high time to do that, stressed Medvedev. Putin had also called for this in his speech the day before.
The "New Start" treaty limits the nuclear arsenals of both countries to 800 delivery systems and 1,550 operational warheads each. In addition, it is regulated that Washington and Moscow can exchange information about their strategic nuclear arsenals and hold up to 18 verification visits per year.
