Putin's terrifying Ukraine war warning just days after he touted ceasefire deal

The Kremlin leader, Vladimir Putin, 71, accused Western nations of "lowering the threshold" for the use of nuclear weapons against Russia. Putin vowed that Russia would pursue its objectives in Ukraine to the end while issuing a new nuclear warning to the West.

In a chilling interview after state visits to North Korea and Vietnam, Putin suggested the Kremlin might revise its nuclear weapon use doctrine due to perceived Western aggression. He accused Kyiv's allies of escalating tensions by permitting the use of NATO weapons against targets within Russia.

Putin reiterated his claim that Western nations were reducing the threshold for deploying nuclear devices against Russia, though he provided no evidence for this assertion.

He suggested that these moves necessitate a review of Russia's nuclear doctrine, ominously stating that the defeat of Moscow's forces in Ukraine would signify "the end of Russia's statehood" and the "1,000-year history of the Russian state." He questioned rhetorically, "Isn't it better to go all the way, until the end?"

Despite the US, UK, and other Western partners refusing to directly enter the conflict, Putin accused them of "constantly raising the stakes and escalating the situation" around Ukraine.

He criticized these countries for thinking that Russia would eventually become fearful, while simultaneously aiming for a strategic defeat of Russia on the battlefield—a defeat he claims would end the Russian state.

Putin's rhetoric came despite his recent promise to "immediately" order a cease-fire in Ukraine and commence negotiations if Kyiv withdrew troops from the four regions annexed by Moscow in 2022 and abandoned its NATO membership plans. Kyiv rejected this as a demand for surrender.

Putin condemned what he described as Western allies' readiness to deploy tactical nuclear weapons against Russia, even though all nuclear threats during the conflict have come from Moscow. He reiterated that the West is mistaken in assuming that Russia will never use its atomic arsenal.

 Although he acknowledged no current threat to Russia's sovereignty that would justify the use of nuclear weapons, he warned that Russia might revise its nuclear doctrine if the situation changes. The existing doctrine allows for the use of nuclear weapons in response to a nuclear strike or a conventional attack that threatens the state's existence.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov supported this stance on Tuesday, noting that recent actions by the US and its allies have heightened the need to modify the doctrine.

He stated that the escalating situation and increasing challenges from unacceptable actions by the US and NATO necessitate bringing nuclear deterrence documents in line with current needs, though he did not specify potential changes.