Scholz demands that Russia rule out the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine

BERLIN, 5 Nov. (DPA/EP) -

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called on Russia to rule out the use of nuclear weapons in the war against Ukraine as "illegal and unjustifiable."

"We ask Russia to say clearly that it will not do it. That would be a line that should not be crossed," Scholz said during an act of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) held in Berlin.

Scholz had already warned on Friday from Beijing together with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the risk of a nuclear escalation. Scholz called the nuclear threat gestures "irresponsible and dangerous."

Xi for his part said: "The use of nuclear weapons or their threat must be rejected." He stated that the international community must work "to ensure that nuclear weapons cannot be used and that nuclear wars are not waged."