British Armed Forces Minister James Heppy said on Tuesday that all options were on the table for a Western response to Russia’s use of chemical weapons in Ukraine.
“Some things are out of bounds. There will be an answer to the use of chemical weapons, and all the options for what that answer will be are on the table, ”Heppy told Sky News, adding that British security intelligence has not yet been able to verify the reports. When asked on LBC Radio if this could be ruled out, including sending British or NATO troops to Ukrainian soil, he replied: “No, all options are on the table.”
The United Kingdom is working with its partners to verify reports that Russian forces may have used chemicals in the city of Mariupol in southeastern Ukraine, where thousands of people are believed to be, British Foreign Secretary Lis Truss said on Monday. Must have died after a seven-week siege.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zhelensky also warned last Monday that Russia could use chemical weapons in the country and called for tougher sanctions on Moscow, which would prevent it from even talking about the use of such weapons. “This is a very important time for our Prime Minister and other heads of government around the world to consider how we can respond to the use of chemical weapons,” Hippie told BBC TV. “Putin must make it clear that the use of chemical weapons is simply unacceptable and that he does not expect the West to stop using them.”
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