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Moscow Scoffs at European Commission's Silence on US' Role in Hiroshima Bombing
Moscow Scoffs at European Commission's Silence on US' Role in Hiroshima Bombing
Sputnik International
The US remains the world’s only country to use a nuclear weapon against a population center. About 140,000 people were killed when America dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima in August 1945.
2023-09-22T07:01+0000
2023-09-22T07:01+0000
2023-09-22T07:03+0000
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Contradicting herself, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen chooses to ignore the US's historical responsibility for the catastrophic Hiroshima atomic bombing in 1945, while criticizing Russia for engaging in "nuclear saber-rattling."She made eyebrow-raising remarks during her speech at the Atlantic Council Global Citizen Awards ceremony in New York on Thursday. She praised Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who was among the award recipients.The European Commission president, in particular, recalled that 66-year-old Kishida comes from Hiroshima and that many of his relatives “lost their lives when the atomic bomb razed” this Japanese city “to the ground.”“It was a sobering start to the G7 and one that I will not forget, especially at a time when Russia threatens to use nuclear weapons once again. It is heinous, it is dangerous – and in the shadow of Hiroshima, it is unforgivable. No one is better poised than Japan to warn us of the extreme danger of this recklessness. As the only country that has suffered from atomic bombings, you have made the whole world listen,” she added.Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, for her part, accused the European Commission president of making "no mention whatsoever of the US and its executioners who dropped the bombs on populated Japanese cities." The need for nuclear weapons in Russia was emphasized by President Vladimir Putin, who stated that their use is not necessary at the moment. However, he did acknowledge that in the event of a threat to the country's territorial integrity, independence, and existence, the possibility of utilizing nuclear weapons cannot be ruled out.Moreover, he added that “the very fact of this topic's discussion already means the possibility of lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons.”The remarks followed Putin announcing in late February that Russia suspends its participation in the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START). He stressed that the country was not withdrawing from the accord.He also made it clear that Russia will not be the first to conduct nuclear tests, but that if the US conducts such tests, Moscow will follow suit.
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1945 hiroshima nuclear bombing, ursula von der leynen's speech at atlantic council rewards, russia's suspension of new start, use of nuclear weapons
1945 hiroshima nuclear bombing, ursula von der leynen's speech at atlantic council rewards, russia's suspension of new start, use of nuclear weapons
Moscow Scoffs at European Commission's Silence on US' Role in Hiroshima Bombing
07:01 GMT 22.09.2023 (Updated: 07:03 GMT 22.09.2023) The US remains the world’s only country to use a nuclear weapon against a population center. About 140,000 people were killed after America dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima in August 1945.
Contradicting herself, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen chooses to ignore the US's historical responsibility for the catastrophic
Hiroshima atomic bombing in 1945, while criticizing Russia for engaging in "nuclear saber-rattling."
She made eyebrow-raising remarks during her speech at the Atlantic Council Global Citizen Awards ceremony in New York on Thursday. She praised Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who was among the award recipients.
The European Commission president, in particular, recalled that 66-year-old Kishida comes from Hiroshima and that many of his relatives “lost their lives when the atomic bomb razed” this Japanese city “to the ground.”
Referring to her and her colleagues’ trip to Hiroshima ahead of a G7 summit, von der Leynen said that Kishida has “grown up with the stories of survivors” and “wanted us to listen to the same stories, to face the past and learn something about the future.”
“It was a sobering start to the G7 and one that I will not forget, especially at a time when Russia threatens to use nuclear weapons once again. It is heinous, it is dangerous – and in the shadow of Hiroshima, it is unforgivable. No one is better poised than Japan to warn us of the extreme danger of this recklessness. As the only country that has suffered from atomic bombings, you have made the whole world listen,” she added.
The reason for her silence regarding the devastating act of the United States in dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 140,000 innocent civilians, remains shrouded in ambiguity. Three days later, Americans dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Nagasaki, killing 74,000 people. America became the first and only country in the world to use a nuclear weapon against a population center.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, for her part, accused the European Commission president of making "no mention whatsoever of the US and its executioners who dropped the bombs on populated Japanese cities."
Zakharova responded on social media, mocking von der Leyen's assertions on Moscow's supposed intentions to employ nuclear weapons, stating, "Ursula von der Leyen telling lies is despicable and dangerous.''
The need for nuclear weapons in Russia was emphasized by President Vladimir Putin, who stated that their use is not necessary at the moment. However, he did acknowledge that in the event of a threat to the country's territorial integrity, independence, and existence, the possibility of utilizing nuclear weapons cannot be ruled out.
“Nuclear weapons are being created in order to ensure our security in the broadest sense of the word, [and to protect] the existence of the Russian state, but we, firstly, do not have such a need,” Putin told the 2023 St.Peterburg International Economic Forum in June.
Moreover, he added that “the very fact of this topic's discussion already means the possibility of lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons.”
The remarks followed Putin announcing in late February that Russia suspends its participation in
the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START). He stressed that the country was not withdrawing from the accord.
“They [Western countries] want to inspect our defense facilities. This sounds like nonsense. We are not allowed to conduct full-fledged inspections. Our requests remain unanswered or are rejected on formal grounds,” Putin said during a message to the Russian Federal Assembly when announcing Moscow’s New START suspension.
He also made it clear that Russia will not be the first to conduct nuclear tests, but that if the US conducts such tests, Moscow will follow suit.
