Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia was thinking about possible changes to its doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons.
The existing doctrine states that Russia may use such weapons in response to a nuclear attack or in the event of a conventional attack that poses an existential threat to the state.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, some hawks among Russian military analysts have been advocating that Russia should lower its threshold for nuclear use.
Putin said, however, that there was no need for Russia to carry out a pre-emptive nuclear strike.
Putin, left, and Vietnamese President To Lam, right, at the Hanoi Opera House in Hanoi, Vietnam on Thursday. Photo: Gavriil Grigorov / Sputnik / Kremlin Pool / EPA-EFE
He was speaking to reporters in Vietnam a day after visiting nuclear-armed North Korea for a summit with its leader, Kim Jong-un. The two leaders signed a treaty under which each side promised to provide immediate military help to the other in the event of armed aggression against either one of them.
Russian state media quoted Putin as saying that Moscow expected its cooperation with North Korea would serve as a deterrent to the West, but that there was no need to use North Korean soldiers in the war in Ukraine.
Putin also said he did not rule out Russia supplying high-precision weapons to North Korea.
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Putin, Kim sign ‘strongest ever’ defence treaty amid growing tensions with the West
Putin, Kim sign ‘strongest ever’ defence treaty amid growing tensions with the West
Putin said South Korea would be making “a big mistake” if it decides to supply arms to Ukraine and that Seoul had nothing to worry about when it came to a mutual defence pact between Moscow and North Korea.
He said Moscow would respond to any such move by South Korea.
Also on Thursday, Putin accused the Nato military alliance of creating a security threat for Russia in Asia, the TASS news agency reported.
“We see what is happening in Asia: a bloc system is being put together,” Putin said.
“Nato is already “moving” there [to Asia] as if to a permanent place of residence. This, of course, creates a threat to all countries in the region, including the Russian Federation. We are obliged to respond to this and will do it,” Putin said.
Bunting lines a main street of Pyongyang’s Central District after Putin’s recent North Korea visit. Photo: AP
At odds with Nato over his war in Ukraine, Putin sees the military alliance as an adversary and accuses it of deceiving Russia by granting membership to east European countries following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
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