‘Very valuable’ that PM Modi, Xi Jinping opposed Russia’s use of nuclear weapon: CIA Chief William Burns

Washington: CIA Chief William Burns said it has been “very valuable” that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping made clear their opposition to any use of nuclear weapons. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director’s comments come within days after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had asked India and China to speak to Russia last year when concerns about Moscow’s use of tactical nuclear weapons. He also asked leaders of both the countries to convey their “absolute opposition to the use of nuclear weapons.” In an interview to CBS News, William Burns spoke about his meeting with Russian foreign intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin in Turkey last year. He said the conversation was “pretty dispiriting”. “My goal was not to talk about negotiations, that’s something that Ukrainians are going to need to take up with the Russians when they see fit. It was more than anything else, what the President (Joe Biden) asked me to do, which was to make clear to Naryshkin and through him to President (Vladimir) Putin, the serious consequences should Russia ever choose to use a nuclear weapon of any kind as well.” William Burns went on to say that both Naryshkin and Putin understood the seriousness of the issue. “I think it’s also been very valuable that the Chinese leadership (Xi Jinping), that Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi in India have also made clear their opposition to any use of nuclear weapons.” When asked why he found conversation with Naryshkin dispiriting, the CIA chief said, “There was a very defiant attitude on the part of Mr. Naryshkin as well, a sense of cockiness and hubris.” “You know, a sense, I think, reflecting Putin’s own view, his own belief today that he can make time work for him, that he believes he can grind down the Ukrainians that he can wear down our European allies, that political fatigue will eventually set in. And in my experience, Putin’s view of Americans, of us, has been that we have attention deficit disorder, and we’ll move on to some other issue eventually. And so Putin, in many ways, I think, believes today that he cannot win for a while, but he can’t afford to lose. I mean, that’s his conviction,” he added. China considering to provide lethal supplies to Russia William Burns also said China has been considering on providing lethal supplies to Russia. “We are confident that the Chinese leadership is considering the provision of lethal equipment. We also don’t see that a final decision has been made yet, and we don’t see evidence of actual shipments of lethal equipment. And that’s why, I think, Secretary Blinken and the President have thought it important to make very clear what the consequences of that would be as well,” the CIA chief said. For the unversed, Blinken had last week warned China against providing military support to Russia. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.