Russian President Vladimir Putin last week said Moscow was prepared to use nuclear weapons if its sovereignty was threatened, the Associated Press reported.
In blunt remarks just days before Putin secured another six-year term in office, the Russian leader once again repeated his warnings that Russia was prepared to use nuclear weapons against the West.
In late February, Putin responded to remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron by warning Western leaders that direct involvement in Ukraine could result in nuclear conflict.
Macron had suggested that NATO should not rule out the possibility of placing troops on the ground in Ukraine.
Putin said at the time that Russia’s nuclear forces were at “full readiness” and any incursion by the West into Russian territory would have “tragic” consequences.
In a March 13 interview on Russian state TV, Putin was asked if he had ever considered the use of nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine.
Putin said there was no need to do so, arguing that he didn’t believe the world was heading for nuclear war. The Russian president noted that President Joe Biden fully understood the dangers of escalating the conflict in Ukraine.
Stéphane Dujarric, a spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres said Putin’s rhetoric could lead to an escalation with “catastrophic consequences” that “must be avoided.”
Putin said in the interview that Moscow was ready to use nuclear weapons to defend itself from a threat to its sovereignty, independence, or existence. He said this was always central to Russia’s security doctrine and “we haven’t changed it.”
In a recent interview, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis echoed President Macron’s suggestion, saying the West often imposes “red lines” on itself that constrain it from acting against Russia.
Putin appeared to reference Landsbergis’ remarks, saying that any nation that says it would have no red lines against Russia should realize that Russia would also refuse to have red lines against them.
