Senior Policy Director John Erath spoke with Euronews about the British decision to send depleted uranium to Ukraine.
“John Erath, a Senior Policy Director at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation told Euronews:
“They’re not considered nuclear weapons. They do not have a nuclear component. And so they are not covered by nuclear non-proliferation treaties. They would be subject to the same export control restrictions as any conventional munition. So, the Russian statement that this is somehow transferring a nuclear capability is completely incorrect.”
But Erath said the Kremlin could still use the supply of these shells to Ukraine as an “excuse” to threaten to use its own nuclear weapons.
“Battlefields are going to be contaminated and they’re going to suffer devastating environmental consequences anyway,” said Erath. “What the depleted uranium rounds would add would be minimal. The environmental problems created by a war are so extreme that that should be what people are worried about and not the addition of a few depleted uranium projectiles.” Read more
