President Joe Biden warned Russia against using a tactical nuclear weapon in its war in Ukraine, saying the reaction to such a move would be “consequential.”
In his first television interview on the CBS news program 60 Minutes since being elected president, Biden was asked what he would say if Russian President Vladimir Putin was considering using chemical or tactical nuclear weapons.
“Don’t. Don’t. Don’t. You will change the face of war unlike anything since World War II,” Mr. Biden said during the interview, which will be broadcast tonight at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time.
“You think I would tell you if I knew exactly what it would be? Of course, I’m not gonna tell you. It’ll be consequential,” Biden said, responding to a question from CBS News’ Scott Pelley. “They’ll become more of a pariah in the world than they ever have been. And depending on the extent of what they do will determine what response would occur.”
The U.S. said Thursday it will send another $600 million in military aid to Ukraine as it stages a counteroffensive that has forced Russian troops into retreat. Russia’s war is expected to be a major topic of conversation as the United Nations General Assembly gathers this week.
The Biden interview also covered the state of the U.S. economy, the midterm elections, and the efforts to stop a strike against the nation’s railroads.