US issues major nuclear weapons alert amid fears of all-out war: ‘If that day comes…’
Amid rising geopolitical tensions, the White House has issued a major warning, stating.
That the United States may have to broaden its nuclear weapons arsenal in reaction to Russia, China, and North Korea expanding their nuke programs “at a breakneck pace”.
Speaking to the Arms Control Association on Friday, Pranay Vaddi, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Arms Control at the White House, stated: “Absent a change in adversary arsenals, we may reach a point in the coming years where an increase from current deployed numbers is required. We need to be fully prepared to execute if the president makes that decision.”
If that day comes, Vaddi believes it will lead to the conclusion that additional nuclear arsenals are needed to dissuade US adversaries while also protecting the American people, and Washington’s allies, and partners.
Vaddi’s statements come amid rising tensions between the United States, Russia, and China, raising worries of an all-out conflict. In May, Russia carried out strategic nuclear arms training “in response to provocative statements and threats by individual Western officials.”
Russian media has regularly threatened nuclear strikes on Western powers such as the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.
During his speech, Vaddi cautioned that China, Russia, and North Korea “are all expanding and diversifying their nuclear arsenals at a breakneck pace, showing little or no interest in arms control.”
With the help of Iran, he said the three powers are progressively collaborating and coordinating with one another in ways that run contrary to peace and stability, jeopardize the United States, its closest allies and partners, and aggravate regional tensions. He further claimed that these countries share missile and drone technology.
US’ alert comes after Putin’s warning
Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened that he could deploy conventional missiles within range of Western powers after some of the countries granted Ukraine authorisation to use their weapons against Russian military targets on its own territory for the first time.
On being asked if Russia should hold a “nuclear pistol to the temple” of the West at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin stated that it was not necessary at the time. “I don’t think that such a case has come. There is no such need,” he stated in reference to nuclear weapons.”
Meanwhile, Donald Trump in an interview with Fox News stated that the nuclear war is a “bigger threat” to the United States than climate change.
While Russia had the largest nuclear arsenal in the world as per 2023 statistics, Reuters report stated that the United States has not surpassed the limit of 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads established in the 2010 New START deal with Moscow.