In a striking declaration at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia could potentially supply long-range weapons to other nations to strike Western targets. This warning comes in response to NATO allies permitting Ukraine to use their arms against Russian territory.
Addressing the forum, Putin reaffirmed Moscow’s readiness to deploy nuclear weapons if its sovereignty is threatened. He criticized recent Western actions, suggesting they would further destabilize international security and could lead to severe consequences.
“That would mark their direct involvement in the war against the Russian Federation, and we reserve the right to act similarly,” Putin stated. His remarks were made during a rare interaction with international journalists, a practice that has become scarce since Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine.
The United States and Germany have recently authorized Ukraine to target some locations within Russia using the long-range weapons supplied by these nations. A Western official and a US senator revealed that Ukraine has used American weapons to strike within Russia under new guidelines approved by President Joe Biden. This policy permits American arms to defend Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.
Putin claimed that the use of Western-supplied weapons involves the military personnel of those countries controlling the missiles and choosing targets. Therefore, he suggested that Moscow might take “asymmetrical” actions elsewhere. The US military, however, denies controlling the missiles it provides to Ukraine or selecting their targets.
“If they think it is acceptable to deliver such weapons to the combat zone to strike our territory and create problems for us, why shouldn’t we have the right to provide similar weapons to regions where they can be used against the nations targeting Russia?” Putin posed this question to journalists on the sidelines of the forum.
Addressing the possibility of using nuclear weapons, Putin pointed to Russia’s security doctrine, which clearly outlines the conditions for such an action. “For some reason, the West believes that Russia will never use them,” he said. “If our sovereignty and territorial integrity are threatened, we consider it possible to use all means at our disposal.”
Putin emphasized that even Russia’s battlefield nuclear weapons are far more potent than those used by the US against Japan during World War II.
During the extensive session with senior international news leaders, Putin also discussed Russia-US relations, stating that nothing would change regardless of whether Biden or Donald Trump wins the upcoming presidential election. “We will work with any president the American people elect,” he affirmed.
He also addressed Trump’s recent felony conviction, describing it as “the use of the court system as part of the internal political struggle.”
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine remained a dominant topic throughout the two-hour session. Putin criticized the West for missing opportunities to end the fighting, citing a letter he once allegedly wrote to Biden, suggesting hostilities could cease in two to three months if Washington stopped arming Kyiv.
On the topic of military losses, Putin refrained from revealing details, though he claimed Ukraine’s casualties were five times greater than Russia’s. He also mentioned that Ukraine holds over 1,300 Russian troops captive, while Russia has more than 6,400 Ukrainian soldiers in custody. These figures could not be independently verified, and some Western estimates suggest Russia’s losses are significantly higher.
Responding to a question about Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, jailed in Russia over a year ago on espionage charges, Putin indicated that the US is “taking energetic steps” for his release. He emphasized that such matters should be handled through a “discreet, calm, and professional approach,” hinting at a possible prisoner swap.
Putin used the forum to highlight Russia’s development and attract investors. Journalists gathered at Gazprom’s new global headquarters, an 81-story skyscraper overlooking the Gulf of Finland. This marked the first time since Russia’s incursion into Ukraine that Western journalists were allowed to pose questions at the St. Petersburg event. Last year, journalists from nations Russia deems unfriendly, including the US, the UK, and the European Union, were not invited, and Western officials and investors avoided the forum due to sanctions imposed on Moscow over the conflict in Ukraine.
