by Giuseppe Sarcina and Gian Guido Vecchi
Stoltenberg: “Russia’s rhetoric about the atomic bomb has already been heard, but it is dangerous.” Francis before the Angelus: «Humanity is again faced with the nuclear threat. Crazy”
“Serious consequences for Russia” if Vladimir Putin “in any way resorts to nuclear weapons”. NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg said in an interview broadcast by NBC yesterday that he had notified the Kremlin directly. «President Putin is using dangerous and careless nuclear rhetoric. It is true that we have been hearing about it for some time, but the fact remains that it remains extremely dangerous. That’s why we told him how serious the consequences would be for Russia: it would change the nature of the conflict ». Stoltenberg, however, did not clarify whether the war would “change” enough for the Atlantic Alliance to intervene directly in Ukraine: “This is a conflict initiated by President Putin. NATO is not one of them. What we are doing is supporting Ukraine, an independent and sovereign nation in Europe that has the right to defend itself against aggression.” And again: “A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought, that is the Message NATO Allies Send to Russia”.
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Stoltenberg’s words almost photocopy Joe Biden’s remarks on September 26. The US President had said that in the event of a nuclear attack “the consequences for Russia would be catastrophic”. On the same day, Foreign Minister Antony Blinken said he had “contacted” the Kremlin.
The “nuclear question” has been the focus of attention in Washington and in the NATO command in Brussels for weeks. At the same time, the White House and the Pentagon are urging allies to continue to deliver arms to Kyiv at full speed. Also because, as Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin noted yesterday, the signals from the field are “encouraging” as Zelenskyy’s army has just regained control of Lyman, a town in the Donetsk region.
From Rome, on the other hand, the worried words of Pope Francis arrive. The Pope fears a nuclear conflict, “humanity is faced with the nuclear threat again, it’s absurd”. And yesterday at noon, something very rare, instead of the usual catechesis, he dedicated the reflection before the Angelus to the “war of aggression” in Ukraine. An appeal based on the historic radio message of John XXIII. of October 25, 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis: For the first time, he named Putin and Zelenskyi directly: “My appeal is primarily addressed to the President of the Russian Federation, and asked him, also out of love for his people, to end this spiral of violence and stop death. On the other hand, saddened by the enormous suffering of the Ukrainian people after the aggression suffered, I make an equally confident appeal to the President of Ukraine to be open to serious peace proposals.”
The Pope’s words also include the condemnation of Russia’s annexation of four Ukrainian regions: “I deeply regret the serious situation that has arisen in recent days, with further actions that violate the principles of international law. It increases the risk of nuclear escalation to the point of fear of uncontrollable and catastrophic consequences worldwide.” Hence the appeal “in the name of God” for “an immediate ceasefire” and “for the conditions for the opening of negotiations capable of leading to solutions that are not imposed by force but agreed, just and stable”, hence “founded on respect for the inviolable value of human life and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each country and the rights of minorities”.
October 3, 2022 (update October 3, 2022 | 08:54)
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