In brief
Vladimir Putin declared during a Valdai foreign‑policy forum that any real threat against Kaliningrad could force Russia to deploy its entire arsenal, including nuclear weapons. He dismissed Western claims of a planned war in 2029 or 2030 and warned that NATO naval manoeuvres in the Baltic Sea pose a serious risk. Hybrid‑war incidents around the Baltics are intensifying, disrupting energy supplies essential for Europe’s climate transition. Putin also urged new rules to curb the automation of warfare and protect humanity amid growing geopolitical tension.
During a speech at the Valdai foreign‑policy forum, President Vladimir Putin declared that any real threat against the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad could trigger the use of the full range of weapons in Russia’s arsenal—including 'nuclear'.
Putin emphasised that Russia was not threatening anyone, countering Western statements that Moscow was planning war in 2029 or 2030.
He warned that NATO’s naval manoeuvres in the Baltic Sea posed a serious threat to Kaliningrad and that any blockade could force Russia to use all available forces, even nuclear, to protect the enclave.
Hybrid‑war incidents in Poland and the Baltics have grown, with drones and helicopters breaching borders, adding to regional tension and disrupting energy flows that underpin Europe’s climate transition.
Addressing the risk of artificial‑intelligence‑driven warfare, Putin called for new rules that prevent the automation of violence and preserve humanitarian values amid a climate of escalating conflict.
