Putin Warns Russia Could Use Nuclear Weapons To Defend Kaliningrad If Attacked

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Moscow could use all weapons in its arsenal, including nuclear weapons, if Russia's Kaliningrad exclave or other Russian territory comes under direct attack.

Speaking at the Valdai Discussion Club in Moscow on Thursday, Putin said Russia had no plans to attack European countries and wanted peaceful coexistence, but would respond with its full military capability if its territory were attacked.

"If it comes to a direct attack on the Russian Federation — in this case, we are referring to Kaliningrad, and perhaps other territories as well — the question of the Russian Federation deploying all the weapons at our country's disposal will, of course, inevitably and immediately be on the agenda," Putin said.

"This is inevitable," he added.

Warning Centres On Kaliningrad

Kaliningrad is Russia's westernmost territory and is situated between NATO members Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea. The heavily militarised exclave has become a focal point of growing tensions between Moscow and the Western alliance.

Putin said Russia was aware that NATO was significantly larger militarily but argued that Moscow possessed weapons that provided it with what he described as a competitive advantage.

He also referred to the nuclear capabilities of Britain and France, saying Russia was fully aware of their arsenals.

Russia Had Already Sent Nuclear Warning To NATO

Putin's remarks came a day after Reuters reported that Moscow had sent a diplomatic note to NATO warning that Russia was prepared to use nuclear weapons if the alliance attempted to isolate Kaliningrad from the rest of Russia.

The Russian communication accused NATO of pursuing what Moscow described as a dangerous course and warned of the possibility of direct military confrontation.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance had responded by stressing that it was defensive in nature and urging Russia to stop making nuclear threats. NATO also said its exercises and activities did not pose a threat to Russian territory.

Rutte said NATO's assessment of the threat from Russia had not changed despite the warning and said there was no imminent threat to NATO territory.

Putin Warns Of 'Point Of No Return'

Putin also warned that continued escalation between Russia and the West could eventually reach a point from which there would be no way back.

He said increasingly severe retaliatory measures could lead to what he described as a "fatal point of no return".

Putin argued that the world's major powers possess weapons capable of causing catastrophic destruction and said governments should avoid circumstances in which such weapons could be used.

The remarks came against the backdrop of continued tensions over Russia's war in Ukraine. European governments have accused Moscow of intensifying what they describe as a hybrid campaign involving sabotage and other disruptive activity. Russia denies those allegations and rejects claims that it is preparing to attack a NATO country.

Putin Rules Out Halt To Black Sea Strikes

On Ukraine, Putin ruled out stopping Russian strikes against Ukrainian targets in the Black Sea region.

He acknowledged that Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries had cost Russia about 1% of its GDP and said Moscow was responding.

Putin also warned about the consequences of Western support for Ukrainian long-range strikes inside Russia, while saying Moscow was not planning to attack European arms factories supplying Ukraine immediately.

Open To Trump-Xi-Putin Meeting

Putin also said he was prepared to participate in a trilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, provided the parties first agreed on a suitable agenda.

His comments came as tensions between Russia and NATO remain high, with Kaliningrad emerging as a particularly sensitive point in the confrontation over the Baltic region.