Putin: “Russia is ready to use nuclear weapons”

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated in an interview with Russian media that they are ready to use nuclear weapons in case of an attack on Russia, and they will deploy military forces to Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership and to the Finland border. Putin also mentioned that the NATO membership of Finland and Sweden is absolutely meaningless in terms of protecting national interests.
Russian President Vladimir Putin answered questions from Dmitry Kiselev for Rossiya 1 channel and RIA Novosti News Agency ahead of the elections in Russia on March 15-17. When asked whether Russia considers using nuclear weapons, Putin said that there is no need for the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine and stated, “Why should we use weapons of mass destruction? There has never been such a need.”

Putin emphasized that they are ready to use nuclear weapons in case of an attack on Russia and stated that Russia’s nuclear triad, including capabilities for launching nuclear missiles from air, land, and sea, is more advanced than that of other countries, saying, “We are militarily and technically prepared, of course.”

Russian President Putin also mentioned that his American counterpart Joe Biden is part of the “traditional school of politics” and added that the United States has many other experts on Russia-US relations and strategic deterrence. Putin stated that the United States is developing its nuclear forces, but this does not mean they are ready to start a nuclear war.

“They believed they could finish Russia”
Putin expressed that countries collectively referred to as the West felt weak before Russia initiated the war in Ukraine, stating that some Western elites are trying to divide Russia and believe they can finish Russia through weapons, sanctions, and Ukrainian nationalists.

“Membership of Finland and Sweden is meaningless”
Putin also commented on Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership, saying, “It is absolutely meaningless in terms of protecting national interests.” The Russian leader announced the deployment of military units and attack systems to the Finland and Sweden border, stating, “We had no soldiers or attack systems there, but now we will.”

The Russian leader said that Finland’s refusal to get closer to Russia and join NATO did not improve the security situation, stating, “It does not improve the security situation in any way. Neither in bilateral relations nor in Europe.”

Using the Russian ruble in some regions of Finland
Referring to the use of the Russian ruble in Helsinki and areas near the Finland-Russia border, Putin said, “You know, this is an internal matter. However, in recent years, the Russian ruble has been accepted in markets near Helsinki and the border. You can buy whatever you want with rubles. This is economically a good thing.”

Putin’s “fantasy” comment on the possibility of Germany attacking the Crimean Bridge
Russian President Putin commented on the leak of teleconferences involving German officers discussing support for Ukraine. Vladimir Putin said that speculations about German officers attacking the Crimean Bridge are aimed at scaring Russia but are nothing but a “fantasy.” He said, “First and foremost, they are fantasizing. They are emboldening themselves. They are also trying to scare us.”

“We are ready to negotiate with Ukraine”
Putin said that Russia is ready to negotiate with Ukraine, stating, “Are we ready for negotiations with Ukraine? Yes, we are ready. However, we are only ready for negotiations based on the realities on the ground. We want to resolve the conflict peacefully; we are ready for serious negotiations. But we must clearly understand that this is not a pause for the enemy to rearm but a serious negotiation that includes security guarantees for Russia.”

“I am sure that the presence of foreign soldiers in Ukraine will not change the situation on the battlefield”
Putin mentioned the possibility of foreign soldiers being present in Ukraine and Western security aid being provided to Ukraine, saying, “The issue is that Western military personnel have been in Ukraine for some time, even before the coup. But if we talk about official military units of foreign countries, I am sure that their presence will not change the situation on the battlefield. This is the most important thing. Just like weapon aid didn’t change anything.”

Putin added that if Poland sends troops to Ukraine, Russia will not withdraw from Ukraine; instead, he claimed that they want to reclaim the territories they believe belong to them. “Because they will want to come back. They are dreaming of this because they think these territories historically belong to them. If Polish troops enter those areas, it will be unlikely for them to leave,” he said.

The Russian leader stated that the sending of missiles to Ukraine by the United States and the United Kingdom would not change the situation on the battlefield. “They are using US-UK-made missiles. Yes, they only cause damage to us. However, in reality, this situation does not change the course of the war and the inevitable consequences for the other side,” he said.

“We will not attempt to divide the West.”
The Russian leader added that they are not trying to divide the West. “We will not attempt to divide the West; they will successfully do it themselves. However, we will, of course, make efforts to ensure respect for our interests,” he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that no country will be allowed to interfere in Russia’s internal political process. “We have expressed this many times. We will not allow anyone to do this,” he said.