Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his annual address to the Federal Assembly, in Moscow, Russia, February 29, 2024. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina
Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stern warning to Western nations on Thursday, cautioning them against the deployment of troops in Ukraine, asserting that such actions could lead to a nuclear conflict. Putin emphasized Moscow’s capability to target Western territories with nuclear weapons. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has precipitated a severe strain in relations between Moscow and the West, reminiscent of the tension witnessed during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. Putin reiterated his longstanding concern regarding the potential for direct confrontation between NATO and Russia, with his nuclear warning marking a particularly explicit statement on the matter.
Addressing lawmakers and other influential figures, Putin reiterated his belief that Western interference aimed at undermining Russia’s interests posed significant dangers. He specifically referenced French President Emmanuel Macron’s suggestion of European NATO members deploying ground troops to Ukraine, a proposal promptly rejected by key Western powers including the United States, Germany, and Britain. Putin underscored Russia’s possession of weaponry capable of striking Western territories, emphasizing the potential catastrophic consequences of escalating tensions to nuclear conflict.
In anticipation of his forthcoming re-election for another six-year term in the March 15-17 presidential election, Putin highlighted Russia’s substantial modernization of its nuclear arsenal, asserting its status as the largest in the world. He emphasized the readiness of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces, mentioning the deployment and nearing completion of development and testing phases for advanced hypersonic nuclear weapons introduced in 2018.
Expressing visible frustration, Putin cautioned Western leaders to consider the historical precedents of failed invasions of Russia by figures such as Adolf Hitler and Napoleon Bonaparte. He dismissed notions of Russian aggression beyond Ukraine as unfounded, emphasizing Moscow’s commitment to avoid being drawn into an arms race reminiscent of the Soviet era, which would strain its budget resources.
While expressing openness to discussions on nuclear strategic stability with the United States, Putin accused Washington of lacking genuine interest in such dialogue, instead propagating baseless accusations against Russia. He denounced claims of Russian intentions to deploy nuclear weapons in space as part of a strategy to dictate negotiation terms advantageous solely to the United States, attributing such assertions to a desire by American authorities to assert global dominance, particularly in the lead-up to the U.S. presidential election.
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