Kathrine Frich
He thinks the US would just step back.
Late-night political talk shows are built on loud voices and dramatic predictions.
Viewers tune in expecting fiery commentary, especially when international alliances face fresh pressure.
Now, one prominent television host has pushed that rhetoric to an extreme new level.
A bold television claim
On the state-run channel Russia 1, prime-time presenter Vladimir Solovyov told viewers that Washington would simply step back if Moscow launched a nuclear attack on European soil, according to the Daily Express.
He argued that European nations can no longer count on the American nuclear umbrella to keep them safe.
Speaking during his broadcast, the staunch ally of President Vladimir Putin laid out his view of how American leaders would react to a crisis.
“They don’t have the guts. America will never die for burning Europe,” Solovyov claimed on Russia 1, as cited by the Daily Express.
He did not stop there. Looking into the camera, the host added: “They will spit on Europe, a hundred times over.”
According to the Daily Express, Solovyov pointed to President Donald Trump’s stance on Greenland, his recent remarks about NATO allies, and a Russian diesel deal as proof that European security is no longer an American priority.
Years of fiery threats
For regular watchers of Russian state media, these outbursts are nothing new. The Daily Express reports that Solovyov, who has received official honours from the Kremlin, frequently uses his evening slot to call for harsh military action against the West.
Britain and Germany often sit at the very top of his target list.
During a previous Russia 1 broadcast reported by the Daily Express, he urged Moscow to deploy an atomic-powered underwater drone against the UK, saying: “Hit them with Poseidon. Give the British three days to learn to breathe underwater, then hit them with Poseidon.”
He has also spoken of striking major capitals like London, Paris, and Berlin. At one point, according to the Daily Express, the presenter even threatened to turn Germany into a “radioactive wasteland”.
Still, television bluster is not the same thing as military command. As the Daily Express notes, while debates over NATO deterrence continue, Solovyov’s televised tirades do not reflect official Kremlin defence policy or prove how Washington would actually act in a crisis.
