Former Defense Minister: Putin Unlikely to Use Nuclear Weapons in Ukraine

Former Bulgarian Minister of Defense and current head of the "Center for Security and Defense Management" at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Prof. Todor Tagarev, has stated in front of BNR that the likelihood of Russian President Vladimir Putin resorting to nuclear weapons is minimal. Speaking to the Bulgarian National Radio, he expressed confidence that such an action is highly improbable, even in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Tagarev emphasized that using nuclear weapons in Ukraine would likely alienate nations that have been supportive of Russia, including key allies such as China, as well as influential countries in the Global South, such as India and Brazil. He further noted that the expert community largely agrees that nuclear escalation, even within Ukraine, is an extremely unlikely scenario.

Lithuanian MEP Rasa Juknevičienė, representing the European People’s Party (EPP), highlighted the importance of collective security within the European Union, particularly on its eastern flank. She warned against viewing the security concerns of Baltic states and neighboring countries as isolated issues. According to Juknevičienė, any threat to the Baltic region would have severe implications for the EU as a whole, reinforcing the need for unified defense strategies.

Juknevičienė argued that ensuring the security of the Baltic states and protecting against Russian aggression is essential for the stability of the entire union. She dismissed the notion that threats in this region could be considered a localized issue, emphasizing that any destabilization there would inevitably impact the broader European community.