Putin said during his address that the chances of nuclear war would increase if Western nations send troops to Ukraine, as suggested by French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this week.
Putin also said Russia has "weapons that can hit targets on their territory" and that "threatens a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons and the destruction of civilization. Don't they get that?"
Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry, responded to Putin's remarks during a press conference on Friday, Newsweek reported.
"In January 2022, leaders of the five nuclear-weapon states issued a joint statement, affirming that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought," she said. "China believes that all nuclear weapon states need to embrace the idea of common security and uphold global strategic balance and stability."
Mao noted, "Under the current circumstances, parties need to jointly seek de-escalation and lower strategic risks."
SD/PR