Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a stark warning against NATO intervention in the Ukraine conflict, cautioning that it could lead to a nuclear war.
Speaking at his State of the Nation address, he reminded Western powers that Russia possesses weapons capable of striking their territories, stressing that such escalation could result in the “extinction of civilization.”
Putin, who is poised for reelection, underscored the gravity of the situation, dismissing any notion of it being fictional.
“This was not a “cartoon film,” Putin said.
NATO countries had sent Ukraine substantial amounts of military weapons to try to repel Russia’s invasion, now into its third year, but the Western defence alliance had yet to send its own troops.
The 71- year-old further refuted claims of Russia intending to attack the West, attributing such assertions to nonsense. However, he expressed intent to fortify Russia’s western borders due to perceived NATO expansion threats.
Despite tensions, he also extended an olive branch, offering dialogue with the United States on strategic security. He highlighted the need to address disarmament treaties abandoned amid the Ukraine crisis, expressing Russia’s willingness to engage in talks provided the US refrains from seeking Moscow’s defeat in Ukraine.