Trump’s nuclear test order puts Putin at disadvantage, says expert

Oleh Rybachuk, head of the NGO Center for Joint Actions and former Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine for European Integration (2005), shared his opinions on Espreso TV.

“Donald Trump ordered the immediate testing of all his nuclear delivery systems — all nuclear weapons. This is unprecedented. It means that Putin has already outplayed himself. It is a response to attempts to intimidate again with nuclear tests, and the stakes are now at their highest. In this race, Putin has no chance. The pressure continues,” Rybachuk said.

He added that Trump met with Xi Jinping today. For China, nuclear weapons are absolutely unacceptable. Despite supporting Russia, China has always emphasized this.

“Clearly, a person (Putin) who wants to live 150 years will not launch his nuclear missiles anywhere. This creates a situation where Putin will have no options, even though U.S. intelligence reports that there is no evidence he seeks peace. Yes, he does not seek peace, but he can be forced to aim for a halt in hostilities,” Rybachuk emphasized.

• U.S. President Donald Trump instructed the U.S. Department of War to immediately begin testing nuclear weapons “on equal terms” with Russia and China.