Russian President Vladimir Putin stated today that there has been no necessity to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine and expressed hope that such a scenario will never arise.
In an excerpt from an interview with Russian state television, published on Telegram and cited by Index.hr, Putin said Russia possesses the strength and capability to bring the conflict in Ukraine to a “logical conclusion.” When asked directly about Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory, the president responded: “There has been no need to use (nuclear) weapons… and I hope there won’t be.”
He further added: “We have enough strength and resources to bring what began in 2022 to its logical end, with an outcome that serves Russia’s interests.”
The war in Ukraine, launched in February 2022 when Putin ordered tens of thousands of troops into Ukrainian territory under what the Kremlin still calls a “special military operation,” has since become one of the most protracted and devastating conflicts in Europe since World War II.
While Russian forces were pushed back from Kyiv early in the war, they continue to hold control over approximately 20 percent of Ukraine’s territory, including much of the south and east. In recent weeks, Putin has signaled openness to diplomatic negotiations, a move that aligns with former U.S. President Donald Trump’s stated aim of resolving the war through diplomacy.
Nonetheless, fears of nuclear escalation have haunted Western capitals since the early days of the invasion. Former CIA Director William Burns warned that there was a real risk in late 2022 that Russia might consider using nuclear weapons against Ukraine. Although that threat has not materialized, analysts remain cautious, especially as Russia continues to maintain—and occasionally signal—its nuclear capabilities as a strategic deterrent.
Putin’s latest remarks appear to be an attempt to reassure both domestic and international audiences that, while Russia is committed to its military objectives, it does not currently see the use of nuclear force as necessary or imminent.
