Intelligence services say there is "no evidence" to support Biden's "nuclear apocalypse"

Joe Biden's fear-mongering claims of a near-imminent "nuclear apocalypse" have been walked back by official intelligence sources: "The U.S. has yet to see any evidence that Putin is moving toward utilizing Russia's nuclear capabilities, nor is there any intelligence to show that he has decided to do so."

Last Friday, Biden scared the world during a Democratic Party fundraiser. "(Putin) is not joking when he talks about the use of tactical nuclear weapons or biological or chemical weapons. We have not faced the prospect of Armageddon since Kennedy and the Cuban missile crisis." The president justified these comments by pointing out that "[Putin's] military is, you might say, significantly underperforming."

"A warning"

Despite the worldwide uproar, the White House backed the president's statements. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre added: "Russia's talks on the use of nuclear weapons are irresponsible and there is no way to use them without unforeseen consequences. It cannot happen. If the Cuban missile crisis taught us anything, it is the value of reducing nuclear risk and not stirring it up."

However, senior White House staffers have noted off-record that the president's words should be understood as just "a warning" not to "underestimate the enormous danger that Russia's deployment of nuclear weapons in Ukraine would pose." CNN, citing intelligence sources, indicates that Biden expressed the Administration's "heightened concern" that the Kremlin could resort to nuclear weapons if its forces continue to be pushed back by the Ukrainian counteroffensive.

"It's Biden, you know, he says these things."

Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project of the Federation of American Scientists and nuclear policy researcher, explained the situation clearly to Breitbart: "People say: 'Oh, yes, it's Biden. You know, he says these things.' But the countries overseas say, 'Wow, this is what the president of the United States says.' And that means we have to be very careful about using big words."

For Kristensen, the worst thing about the president's comments is how they could affect relations with Russia: "It's clear to me that Putin will see this and say to himself, 'Wow, you know, now I've got his attention. So they're really scared.'"

Europe urges Biden to be cautious

From Europe, French President Emmanuel Macron called on his U.S. counterpart for prudence. "I've always refused to get into political fiction, and especially...when talking about nuclear weapons. In this matter, we must be very careful."

Charles Michel, President of the European Council, warned: "Threats will not intimidate us. On the contrary, let's keep calm. We will keep a cool head and we will denounce every time the irresponsible nature of these threats."