Russian army to be ‘annihilated’ if it uses nuclear weapons: EU foreign policy chief

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) - The Russian army will be “annihilated” if it deploys nuclear weapons in Ukraine, the EU foreign policy chief said on Thursday.

Josep Borrell was speaking at the opening ceremony of the European Diplomatic Academy in Bruges, Belgium.

Borrell said that Russia Vladimir Putin is “not bluffing” when he threatens Ukraine with nuclear weapons in case Kyiv wants to get back their illegally annexed territories.

“Any nuclear attack against Ukraine will create an answer, not a nuclear answer, but such a powerful answer from the military side that the Russian army will be annihilated,” he added.

He also urged countries supporting Ukraine, including EU members and the US, to “show our unity, and our strength and our determination.”

At the same time, he stressed that “this war must stop” and EU diplomats have to prepare for backing Ukraine during the peace negotiations as well.

He predicted a “period of instability” after the end of the war in Ukraine when “a new security order” with the integration of a “post-Putin Russia” has to be built.