US Slams Putin Ally's 'Provocative' Nuclear War Rhetoric: 'Not Only Dangerous, It Is Reckless'

The U.S. slammed Russia after Vladimir Putin's ally and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev threatened a nuclear war if Moscow lost in Ukraine.

What Happened: The U.S. Department of State spokesman, in a regular briefing, said that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.

Hitting back at Moscow, Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson, said, "This is not the first time that we've seen such kind of rhetoric from Russia."

"And candidly, we think provocative rhetoric regarding nuclear weapons is not only dangerous, it is reckless."

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"It adds to the risk of miscalculation and, candidly, it should be avoided – and we will not indulge in it. A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought."

Medvedev on Thursday said the defeat of Putin in Ukraine could trigger a nuclear war and warned the West to reconsider their support for Kyiv as top defense leaders meet in Germany today to discuss Ukraine war. 

"The defeat of a nuclear power in a conventional war may trigger a nuclear war," Medvedev, who serves as deputy chairman of the Russian security council, said in a post on Telegram.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin also warned the U.S. and its allies over the supply of long-range weapons to Ukraine. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media, "it will mean bringing the conflict to a whole new level."

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