New Delhi: Criticizing the West for delivering long-range weapons to Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow might consider supplying similar arms to other nations to target Western interests.
He was speaking to international reporters for the first time since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and answered questions ranging from the threat of nuclear war to launching an attack on NATO.
"Delivering arms to a warzone is always bad. Even more so if those who are delivering are not just delivering weapons but also controlling them. This is a very serious and very dangerous step," Putin told a press conference in St Petersburg.
“If someone thinks it is possible to supply such weapons to a war zone to attack our territory and create problems for us, why don’t we have the right to supply our weapons,” he added.
The remarks came in response to countries like Germany and the United States reportedly allowing Ukraine to use Western-supplied weapons to strike targets inside Russia.
When asked about the prospect of using Russia’s nuclear arsenal, the president said it was not out of the question, Al Jazeera reported. “For some reason, the West believes that Russia will never use it,” Putin responded, pointing towards the country’s 2020 nuclear doctrine.
“We have a nuclear doctrine. Look what it says. If someone’s actions threaten our sovereignty and territorial integrity, we consider it possible for us to use all means at our disposal. This should not be taken lightly, superficially,” he said even as he dismissed the idea of launching an attack on NATO, despite tensions with its member states.
Further, the Russian leader reiterated that his country did not initiate war against Ukraine and instead blamed a pro-Western revolution in 2014.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called for Moscow to "build up" relations with the Taliban government, as a delegation visited Russia.
"We have always believed that we need to deal with reality. The Taliban are in power in Afghanistan... We have to build up relations with the Taliban government," Putin said at a meeting with foreign news outlets
