U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on every U.N. Security Council member to “send a clear message” to Russia that it must stop its nuclear threats in the war in Ukraine.
Blinken used a council session Thursday to criticize Russia’s invasion and press other countries to join in their forceful condemnations of the conflict.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier this week that his nuclear-armed country “certainly use all means available to us” if its territory is threatened and to defend the country and its people.
Blinken said, “Every council member should send a clear message that these reckless nuclear threats must stop immediately,” A day after President Joe Biden assailed Russian leader Vladimir Putin for what he called egregious violations of the U.N. Charter and international law, the U.S. made the case at the U.N. Security Council that Russia should face further censure and isolation for its invasion.
Blinken listed several allegations of war crimes and other atrocities and called on countries that have yet to speak out forcefully against them as an affront to international order.
As the meeting began, there were already signs of a charged atmosphere around the council’s famous horseshoe-shaped table.
