President Joe Biden warned on Thursday night that the chance of nuclear “armageddon” is at its highest stage because the 1962 Cuban Missile Disaster, as Russian officers converse of the opportunity of utilizing tactical nuclear weapons after struggling huge setbacks within the eight-month invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Biden made the remarks at a fundraiser for the Democratic Senatorial Marketing campaign Committee, the social gathering’s equipment devoted to defending incumbent Senators and electing Democratic Senators.

Mr Biden stated he knew Russian President Vladimir Putin very nicely.

“We’ve got not confronted the prospect of Armageddon since Kennedy and the Cuban missile disaster,” he stated. “He’s not joking when he talks about potential use of tactical nuclear weapons or organic or chemical weapons as a result of his navy is you would possibly say considerably underperforming.”

International ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated on Thursday that Russia had not modified its place {that a} nuclear struggle mustn’t ever be fought. This got here after Mr Putin stated that he would use “all of the means at our disposal” to defend Russia throughout its invasion of Ukraine. He additionally stated that the US set a precedent when it dropped two atomic weapons within the Second World Conflict.

However Mr Biden additionally challenged Russian nuclear doctrine, warning that the usage of a lower-yield tactical weapon may rapidly spiral uncontrolled into world destruction.

“I don’t assume there’s any such a factor as the flexibility to simply use a tactical weapon and never find yourself with armageddon,” Mr Biden stated. The president additionally blamed the actions of his predecessor, former president Donald Trump, for the present disaster.

“I didn’t notice how a lot severe harm the earlier administration did to our international coverage,” he stated.

US officers for months have warned of the prospect that Russia may use weapons of mass destruction in Ukraine because it has confronted a sequence of strategic setbacks on the battlefield. as lately as this week, although, they’ve stated they’ve seen no change to Russia’s nuclear forces that might require a change within the alert posture of US nuclear forces.

Mr Biden additionally stated he was attempting to determine what’s one of the best ways to de-escalate the disaster.

“I’m attempting to determine what’s Putin’s off ramp?” he stated. “The place does he discover a manner out? The place does he discover himself able that he doesn’t not solely lose face however lose important energy inside Russia?”