Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia has no intention of attacking any European country, but warned that Moscow would use all available weapons to defend itself if Kaliningrad or any other Russian territory came under direct attack. Putin made the remarks at the Valdai Forum in Moscow, saying Russia wants peaceful relations with Europe, but that the situation would turn extremely serious if Russia itself were attacked.
Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave on its western border, lies between NATO members Poland and Lithuania, where Russia has stationed a significant military presence and weaponry. Moscow has previously warned NATO that it could resort to nuclear weapons to defend Kaliningrad if any attempt were made to cut it off from the rest of Russian territory, a warning that has kept tensions elevated between Russia and the alliance. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, however, said the alliance’s military posture remains purely defensive, adding that nuclear threats serve no purpose.
Relations between Russia and Western nations have deteriorated further since the Ukraine war began in 2022. Several European countries have accused Russia of waging a “hybrid war” through acts of sabotage and arson on their soil, allegations Moscow has denied. Putin cautioned that once rising tensions cross a certain threshold, reversing the situation becomes extremely difficult, and urged the international community to avoid circumstances that could lead to the use of weapons capable of mass destruction.
Putin said he is prepared for a trilateral summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, but noted that the agenda and issues for discussion would need to be finalised beforehand. On the Ukraine war, he said Russia would not halt its strikes on Ukrainian positions in the Black Sea region.
Putin acknowledged that Ukrainian attacks had damaged some Russian oil refineries, resulting in a loss of nearly one percent to Russia’s GDP. However, he said Moscow currently has no plans to target European arms manufacturing facilities supplying weapons to Ukraine.