ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) 鈥� President said Friday that he sees no current threat to Russia鈥檚 sovereignty that would warrant the use of nuclear weapons but again warned that Moscow could send arms to countries or groups to strike Western targets.
Speaking at the , Putin said use of nuclear weapons is only possible in 鈥渆xceptional cases鈥� and that he does not believe 鈥渟uch a case has arisen.鈥� The Russian leader has repeatedly raised the specter of a nuclear attack since he sent troops into Ukraine in 2022.
On Friday, he that Moscow 鈥渞eserves the right鈥� to arm Western adversaries as a response to some NATO allies allowing Ukraine to use their weapons to strike targets inside Russia.
鈥淚f they supply (weapons) to the combat zone and call for using these weapons against our territory, why don鈥檛 we have the right to do the same?鈥� Putin asked.
鈥淏ut I鈥檓 not ready to say that we will be doing it tomorrow, either,鈥� Putin added, suggesting that it might affect global stability.
He didn鈥檛 specify where such arms might be sent. The U.S. has said that Russia to beef up its stock of relatively simple weapons, but Moscow could dip into its stock of high-tech missiles to share with adversaries of the West if Putin decides to fulfill his threat.
recently authorized Ukraine to hit some targets on Russian soil with the long-range weapons they are supplying to Kyiv.
On Wednesday, said Ukraine has used American weapons to strike inside Russia from President Joe Biden that allows American arms to be used to defend , Ukraine鈥檚 second-largest city. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly on the sensitive matter, spoke on condition of anonymity.
Putin also said he sees no need for a new round of mobilization to beef up Russia's forces in Ukraine because, he said, 鈥減eople come voluntarily and go to the front lines to defend the Motherland.鈥�
Russia mobilized 300,000 reservists in the fall of 2022 amid a series of military setbacks in Ukraine, an unpopular move that prompted hundreds of thousands to flee the country to avoid being drafted.
Putin made the comments during a question and answer session with a pro-Kremlin moderator at the forum, which has been used by Russia for decades as a showcase for touting the country鈥檚 development and to woo investors.
Earlier in a speech, he said the Russian economy is growing despite international sanctions and said Moscow has increasing economic ties with countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Putin said Russia 鈥渞emains one of the key participants in world trade,鈥� despite the , imposed for sending troops into Ukraine, that cut off much of Russia鈥檚 trade with Western Europe, the U.S. and their allies.
The main driver of Russia鈥檚 economic growth is the fighting 鈥� now as important to the Kremlin economically as it is politically.
Russians are finding a few imported staples, and most 鈥� or been reincarnated as Russian equivalents. But not much else has changed economically for most people, with massive and hefty payments to volunteer soldiers giving a strong boost to the economy.
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Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed.
The Associated Press
