--- title: "Russia's war on Ukraine latest: Putin gives nuclear warning, Biden rallies allies" description: "Feb 22 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have been sparring verbally, presenting starkly different views of the world and the Ukraine war, with Biden promising to defend democracies and Putin asserting the West was a threat to Russia." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "Newsdeck" author: "Reuters" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-02-22-russias-war-on-ukraine-latest-putin-gives-nuclear-warning-biden-rallies-allies/" published: "2023-02-22T04:52:27" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 454 --- # Russia's war on Ukraine latest: Putin gives nuclear warning, Biden rallies allies > Feb 22 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have been sparring verbally, presenting starkly different views of the world and the Ukraine war, with Biden promising to defend democracies and Putin asserting the West was a threat to Russia. By Reuters · Published 22 February 2023, 06:52 SAST ## Key points - Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a nuclear warning to the West over Ukraine and announced new strategic systems are on combat duty. US President Joe Biden, fresh from visiting Kyiv, has pledged support for Ukraine and urged NATO allies to ensure Kyiv wins the war. China is deeply worried about the conflict escalating out of control and Italy's Prime Minister has warned against surrendering Ukraine to invading Russian forces. G7 financial leaders will meet Thursday to discuss measures against Russia while Washington and its allies plan to impose new sanctions and export controls in coming days. Fighting continues near Donetsk with an advance by Russian troops and accusations that certain officials are denying sufficient ammunition to fighters. - Putin delivers nuclear warning to the West over Ukraine, suspends bilateral nuclear arms control treaty and announces new strategic systems are on combat duty. - Biden in Poland makes case for sustained Western effort to ensure Kyiv wins war. - G7 to discuss measures against Russia, US and allies to impose new sanctions and export controls. - Russian troops make 2.5 km advance towards city of Bakhmut, founder of mercenary group Wagner accuses officials of denying fighters sufficient ammunition. ## Content DIPLOMACY - Putin in Moscow on Tuesday delivered a [nuclear warning](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL1N351096&linkedFromStory=true) to the West over Ukraine, suspending a bilateral nuclear arms control treaty, announcing new strategic systems were on combat duty and warning that Moscow could resume nuclear tests. - Putin said: "The elites of the West do not hide their purpose ... They intend to transform a local conflict into a phase of global confrontation. This is exactly how we understand it all and we will react accordingly, because in this case we are talking about the existence of our country." - Biden, fresh from pledging support for Ukraine on an unannounced visit to Kyiv, was in Poland [making his case](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL1N3511D6&linkedFromStory=true) for a sustained Western effort to ensure Kyiv wins the war. - Biden said: "When Russia invaded, it wasn't just Ukraine being tested. The whole world faced a test for the ages." He said the United States and its NATO allies stood up for freedom and democracy and "there should be no doubt: Our support for Ukraine will not waver, NATO will not be divided, and we will not tire". - China is "deeply worried" that the Ukraine conflict could spiral out of control, [Foreign Minister Qin Gang](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL1N35102J&linkedFromStory=true) said, and he called on certain countries to stop "fuelling the fire" in an apparent dig at the United States. - Any peace that entails the surrender of Ukraine to invading Russian forces "cannot be a real peace". Italian Prime Minister [Giorgia Meloni](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL8N3513YR&linkedFromStory=true) said while visiting Kyiv. SANCTIONS - Financial leaders of the Group of Seven will meet on Thursday to discuss measures against Russia, Japan's Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said. - U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said Washington and its allies [will impose new sanctions and export controls](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL1N3511J6&linkedFromStory=true) in "coming days" to ratchet up pressure on Russia to end the war and crack down on companies and individuals who are helping Moscow evade sanctions. - The European Union is [close to a 10th sanctions package against Russia](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL8N3516EO&linkedFromStory=true) and EU governments hope to reach a deal on Wednesday if they can overcome differences about a ban on Russian rubber and diamond imports, EU diplomats said. FIGHTING - Near Bakhmut, the focal point of Russian advances in the eastern region of Donetsk, 18 towns and villages came under fire, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in a statement on Tuesday night. - The Russian defence ministry said its troops had made a 2.5 km (1.5 miles) [advance](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL1N351299&linkedFromStory=true) towards the city of Bakhmut, seen by the Kremlin as a main staging post in capturing other towns further west in Donetsk region. - Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of Russia's mercenary group Wagner, accused unspecified officials of [deliberately denying his fighters sufficient ammunition](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL8N3503JS&linkedFromStory=true) as part of an ongoing rivalry between himself and parts of the Russian elite.