India, China's concerns about use of nuclear weapons have impacted Russia: CIA Chief William Burns

Washington [US], December 18 (ANI): Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Chief William Burns said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping's concerns about the use of nuclear weapons, have had an impact on the Russians.
"I think it has also been very useful that Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi in India have also raised their concerns about the use of nuclear weapons as well. I think that's also having an impact on the Russians," Burns said during an interview with the PBS.
Burns during the interview said he doesn't see any clear evidence today of Russia's plans to use tactical nuclear weapons.
According to Burns, Russian President Vladimir Putin's saber-rattling is only meant to intimidate.
Earlier, Putin acknowledged that the conflict in Ukraine is going to take a while. He also warned of the increasing threat of nuclear war.
Putin, while speaking at a meeting of Russia's Human Rights Council at the Kremlin said that Moscow will fight by "all available means at their disposal". He called it a special military operation.
"With regard to the protracted nature of the special military operation and its results, of course, it's going to take a while, perhaps," he said, according to a report in CNN.
According to the same report, Putin without categorically ruling out the first use of nuclear weapons said he viewed the Russian nuclear arsenal as a deterrent rather than a provocation.
Putin said that Russia has a strategy, and they strike in response. He said the country considers the use of nuclear weapons for defense, they call it a retaliatory strike. "That is, when we are struck, we strike in response," he said.
According to CNN, The Russian leader said that the United States' nuclear weapons were located in large numbers on European soil, while Russia had not transferred its nuclear weapons to other territories and is not planning to do so, but "will protect its allies with all the means at its disposal, if necessary".
Putin said Russians are aware of what nuclear weapons are. They have more advanced and modern weapons than those of any other nuclear country. "But we are not going to brandish these weapons like a razor, running around the world," he said. (ANI)