Putin warns Russia will use ‘all weapons’ in arsenal if any of its territory is attacked
Vladimir Putin said at a foreign policy forum that Russia is not planning to attack European countries but will respond to aggression with all weapons in its arsenal. He accused the West and Europe of escalating tensions by discussing preparations for war with Moscow, conducting military drills in the Baltic Sea and seizing Russian vessels. His remarks followed Moscow's warning to Nato that it would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons to defend Kaliningrad should alliance members try to cut the Baltic exclave off from the rest of Russia.
Why it matters: The statements bear on the briefing's geopolitical-risk theme, since a Nato blockade of Kaliningrad would place a nuclear-armed confrontation at the centre of European security.