Moscow : Moscow has made clear it would defend Kaliningrad with nuclear weapons if necessary, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday. Putin said Russia had no plans to attack any European country and wanted to coexist peacefully, but stressed that Moscow would use all weapons in its arsenal if Kaliningrad or other Russian territory came under direct attack.
Kaliningrad, Russia’s westernmost territory, is located between Nato members Poland and Lithuania and is heavily militarised. Putin said Russia understood that Nato was “twice our size” and would have to rely on its military advantages in any confrontation. He also pointed to the nuclear capabilities of France and Britain, saying Russia was fully aware of them but maintained that Moscow possessed weapons that gave it a “competitive advantage”.
Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance had responded by stressing that it was defensive in nature and that nuclear threats were unhelpful. Relations between Russia and the West have remained deeply strained since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. European governments have also accused Russia of intensifying what they describe as a “hybrid war” involving alleged sabotage and arson. Moscow denies the accusations and rejects claims that it is preparing to attack a Nato country.
He said the world’s leading powers possessed weapons capable of causing catastrophic destruction and urged governments to avoid a situation in which such weapons could be used. Putin also said he was ready for a trilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump if a proper agenda was agreed in advance.
Putin ruled out halting Russian strikes against Ukrainian targets in the Black Sea region. He acknowledged that Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries had cost Russia about 1% of its GDP and said Moscow was responding in kind.