Biden says he thinks Putin won't use nuclear weapons, but threatening to do so is irresponsible

U.S. President Joe Biden said helium doesn't deliberation Russian President Vladimir Putin volition usage atomic weapons contempt repeated threats to bash truthful — adjacent arsenic the Russian person continues to property connected successful the warfare successful Ukraine.

"Well, I don't deliberation helium will," Biden said successful an interrogation with CNN's Jake Tapper that was aired Tuesday. "But I deliberation that it's irresponsible for him to speech astir it."

Putin has indirectly threatened to usage atomic weapons. In a televised speech in September, helium announced a partial subject mobilization and said helium would "certainly usage each the means astatine our disposal to support Russia and our people." He added that helium was not bluffing.

The White House has repeatedly said it takes Russia's threats of atomic warfare earnestly but does not spot indications of a contiguous threat. Biden connected Thursday warned of the "prospect of Armageddon" if Russia were to usage atomic weapons.

"The full constituent I was making was, it could person to conscionable a horrible outcome," Biden said Tuesday referencing his erstwhile comments. "And not due to the fact that anybody intends to crook it into a satellite warfare oregon anything, but... erstwhile you usage a atomic weapon, the mistakes that tin beryllium made, the miscalculations. Who knows what would happen?"

Biden said helium believed Putin is simply a "rational histrion who's miscalculated significantly."

He clarified that helium believes Putin is rational but his objectives are not, and added that helium believes the Russian person has committed warfare crimes successful Ukraine.

"He's acted brutally. I deliberation he's committed warfare crimes."

On Putin's penetration of Ukraine, Biden said: "I deliberation helium thought ... helium was going to beryllium welcomed with unfastened arms. That this was, this has been, the location of Mother Russia and Kyiv and, therefore, helium was going to welcomed."

"I deliberation helium conscionable wholly miscalculated it."

Leaders of the Group of 7 met virtually Tuesday greeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and agreed they would proceed to backmost the besieged state against Russian aggression for "as agelong arsenic it takes."

In a connection released aft the gathering G-7 leaders said Russia volition look "severe consequences" if it uses chemical, biologic oregon atomic weapons.

Biden told CNN helium has nary volition of gathering with Putin astatine the upcoming G-20 acme but would beryllium unfastened to talking if Putin approached him determination astir releasing imprisoned American Brittney Griner.

Any gathering with Putin regarding Ukraine, arsenic the G-7 agreed to earlier Tuesday, would not hap without Ukrainian officials present, helium added.