US says planning action in case Russia uses chemical weapons, strikes NATO territory

As the Russian aggression continues in Ukraine for a month, the US is now planning action in the event of Russian strikes at NATO territory and use of chemical weapons. The national security advisor of the White House, Jake Sullivan stated on Friday that he has asked for a special "Tiger Team" - a team of experts -- to plan for a possibility if Russia uses chemical weapons in Ukraine or strikes NATO territory, as per the reports of Axios.

In response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's assertion that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will next invade eastern European countries, Sullivan said this is one of the reasons US President Joe Biden has authorised more US soldiers to deploy to NATO's eastern flank. He stated that they do feel that Russian action in Ukraine demonstrates a propensity on the part of the Russians to flout international borders and the basic standards established by the international community.

'US and NATO reaction would be determined by the nature of Russia's strike'

Sullivan cited Russia's military cooperation with Belarus, which borders NATO members Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia, as a particularly concerning development that underscores NATO's need to be prepared for any eventuality, according to Axios. On chemical weapons, Sullivan indicated that the US and NATO reaction would be determined by the nature of Russia's strike, but that the US has no intention of employing chemical weapons under any circumstances.

After a NATO summit in Brussels on Thursday, US President Biden warned that the alliance will react if Russia used weapons of mass destruction, something experts worry is becoming more likely as Ukraine's resistance to Russian forces continues. Although Biden has ruled out deploying American soldiers to Ukraine, the United States has sent military assistance to Ukraine during the conflict. A Russian strike on a Ukrainian military base roughly 15 kilometres from the Polish border earlier this month sparked fears that the conflict would spread into NATO territory.

Biden to give a speech on where they see the Ukraine crisis heading

Biden, who is on his visit to Poland will meet with refugees and humanitarian workers in Warsaw, as well as Polish President Andrzej Duda, on Saturday. Sullivan also stated that the President will give a speech on the significance of this moment and where the US sees the Ukraine crisis heading.

Image: AP