President Volodymyr Zelensky once again said he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin won't dare to use nuclear weapons as he "loves life and is afraid of death."
"I saw him (Putin), and I saw his desire to live. He loves life very much – he even sits behind a long table… because he is afraid of COVID-19 or something else," Zelensky said in an interview with David Letterman. "So I'm not sure he's ready to go nuclear. He understands if he applies these weapons, any state could respond to him personally."
Zelensky said that the world "will never forgive either Putin or Russia" if he uses nuclear weapons.
Putin escalated his rhetoric on using nuclear weapons in his war in Ukraine in late September amid Ukraine's counteroffensive in the south.
"When its territorial integrity is threatened, Russia will use everything it can, this is not a bluff," Putin said on Sept. 21, also ordering mobilization in the country.
Shortly after, Russia began launching mass attacks targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure amid battlefield setbacks.
Since Oct. 10, Moscow has unleashed six mass strikes targeting Ukraine's energy sector, killing dozens of civilians and causing emergency blackouts.
The most recent nationwide attack on Ukraine occurred on Dec. 5, killing four and hitting energy sites in at least three regions.
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