Ahead of Presidential Election, Putin Says "Nuclear Weapons Use If Existence Threatened... Ready"

Ready to Negotiate with Ukraine
Will Not Intervene in US Presidential Election... Will Cooperate

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on the 13th (local time) that Russia is ready to use nuclear weapons ahead of the election.

According to major foreign media reports, in an interview with Russia's state TV channel Rossiya 1 and RIA Novosti news agency released that day, when asked if Russia is prepared for a nuclear war, President Putin responded, "From a military-technical perspective, we are ready for a nuclear war."

Vladimir Putin, President of Russia [Image source=Yonhap News]

He said about the use of nuclear weapons, "Weapons exist to be used," and added, "We have our own principles." He further explained that the principles for using nuclear weapons are specified in Russia's nuclear strategy and have not changed. He also stated, "We will use nuclear weapons if the existence of the state is at stake or if our sovereignty and independence are violated."

President Putin said that if the United States deploys troops on Russian territory or in Ukraine, Russia would consider it an intervention. However, he noted, "(The U.S.) has enough experts in Russia-U.S. relations and strategic deterrence," and added, "Therefore, I do not think everything is rushing toward (nuclear confrontation), but we are prepared for it." President Putin has repeatedly warned that if the West sends troops to Ukraine, there is a risk of triggering a nuclear war.

He also responded regarding the possibility of the U.S. conducting nuclear tests, saying, "We do not exclude the possibility that we could do the same."

However, he said Russia has never felt the need to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. President Putin asked, "What reason is there to use weapons of mass destruction?" and dismissed the idea by saying, "There is absolutely no such necessity."

In particular, he said he is ready to negotiate a peace agreement with Ukraine but emphasized that it must be based on reality. Recently, major foreign media reported that President Putin proposed a ceasefire to end the war with Ukraine, but the United States rejected it.

On the same day, Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump were respectively confirmed as the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates in the United States. Amid the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, claims have arisen among Western countries that Russia might deploy nuclear weapons in space, causing relations between Western countries and Russia to cool. Regarding the U.S. election, President Putin said, "We will not interfere in any election in any way," and added, "As I have said many times, we will cooperate with any leader who has the trust of American voters."

Regarding North Korea, he stated that North Korea has its own nuclear umbrella and has not requested any nuclear-related assistance from Russia.

President Putin is seeking a fifth term in the Russian presidential election scheduled for June 15-17.