There will be “severe consequences” if Russian President Vladimir Putin orders use of nuclear weapons in the Ukraine conflict, the British government said.
Amid reports Russia could detonate a nuclear warhead over the Black Sea, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has been in Washington for talks with his US counterpart.
“We are very clear with Putin that the use of nuclear weapons will lead to severe consequences,” said Prime Minister Liz Truss's official spokesman, who did not comment on Mr Wallace’s meeting.
“I would guide away from speculating on this as an issue. I think the public need to be reassured that we are taking a strong lead in this area,” he said.
“I think it would be a mistake to be drawn into speculation on this rather than focusing on what we are seeing day by day, which is a senseless and barbaric attack on civilians across Ukraine.”
It comes after The Sun newspaper quoted a security source who said the “threat” of Mr Putin nuclear weapons “has increased recently”.
Putin's inner circle — in pictures
-
Head of Russia's SVR intelligence service Sergei Naryshkin has seen his status eroded by the strong resistance encountered in Ukraine, which he did not foresee. EPA -
Head of Russia's Roscosmos space agency Dmitry Rogozin has threatened to abandon a Nasa astronaut on the International Space Station. AFP -
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was one of the architects of Moscow's intervention in Syria. AFP -
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Russia's oil giant Rosneft chief Igor Sechin. He has been described as Mr Putin's right-hand man. AFP -
Secretary of Russia's Security Council Nikolai Patrushev attends a meeting in Moscow. He is said to have known Mr Putin for 50 years. AFP -
Sergei Ivanov, Russian special representative on questions of ecology and transport, is a close friend of Mr Putin. AFP -
Federal Security Service director Alexander Bortnikov is responsible for a huge network of agents in Russia. AFP -
At 58, president of the Duma Lower House of Parliament Vyacheslav Volodin is one of the younger members of the inner circle. He has been touted as a possible successor to Mr Putin. AFP
Mr Wallace, MP for Wyre and Preston North, pulled out of a session with the Commons Defence Committee on Tuesday to take part in talks with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.
“There has been a lot of speculation about why the defence secretary travelled to Washington,” said a senior defence source.
“As we approach winter in Ukraine, with their [Ukraine's] successes on the battleground against Russian forces and in light of Putin’s recent actions, it was important to meet face to face with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and others from the US administration to discuss our shared security concerns.”
On Wednesday, Mr Putin declared martial law in the annexed regions of Ukraine.
