Putin Warns World, States Nuclear Weapons Could Be Deployed If...
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that the world is entering a dangerous period and has called on Western nations not to expand the escalation related to the war in Ukraine. He emphasised that Russia is prepared to use its entire arsenal, including nuclear weapons, if the Kaliningrad region comes under attack.
Speaking at the Valdai Forum in Moscow on Thursday (1/10/2026), Putin stated that Russia has no plans to attack European nations and wishes to coexist peacefully. However, he asserted that Moscow will defend Kaliningrad—a Russian territory situated between Poland and Lithuania—with its full military capabilities if necessary.
“If a direct attack occurs against the Russian Federation, in this case, what we mean is Kaliningrad, and perhaps other territories as well, then the issue of deploying all the weapons owned by our country by the Russian Federation will certainly, and unavoidably, immediately enter the agenda,” Putin said, as quoted by Reuters on Friday (2/10/2026).
“This is inevitable,” he continued. Putin also noted that Russia understands it is facing an adversary that, in total, possesses approximately twice the strength, including nuclear-armed nations such as France and the United Kingdom.
These remarks follow NATO’s announcement that it has received a Russian diplomatic note warning that Moscow is prepared to use nuclear weapons if the Western alliance attempts to sever access to Kaliningrad. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that the alliance has responded by reaffirming NATO’s defensive nature, noting that nuclear threats do not assist in easing tensions.
Putin subsequently warned that the cycle of actions and counter-actions in international conflicts could quickly reach a point that is difficult to control.
“The logic of escalation and increasingly harsh retaliatory actions leads to a critical point with no way back,” he remarked. “Can we ensure that these weapons will never be used? Certainly not. We must remember this and avoid such a possibility.”
He assessed that arrogance and overconfidence could push nations towards the “edge of the abyss of destruction,” particularly when their weaponry possesses the capability to destroy life on a massive scale.
On the other hand, Putin stated that Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries have caused losses of approximately 1% of Russia’s GDP and noted that Moscow is now conducting similar retaliatory strikes. While regarding Western support for Ukraine’s long-range attacks as a threat, Putin said that Russia currently has no plans to attack arms factories in Europe that supply Kyiv’s military needs.