Kathmandu, October 2-Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia could use all available weapons, including nuclear arms, if its Kaliningrad region faces a direct military threat.
Speaking at the Valdai Discussion Club in Moscow on Thursday, Putin rejected a proposed ceasefire arrangement involving a halt to long-range attacks between Russia and Ukraine.
The proposal, which reportedly emerged following a September 22 meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, called for Ukraine to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries in exchange for Russia refraining from attacks on Ukrainian vessels. Putin dismissed the proposal as unrealistic.
Putin said Russia remained willing to pursue negotiations to end the war. He also indicated that Moscow would prefer Ukraine to adopt a neutral status once hostilities come to an end.
Regarding Kaliningrad, the Russian president warned that any attempt to isolate the territory from Russia or launch a direct attack against it would trigger a response involving Russia's full range of weapons. He said nuclear weapons could also be included.
Kaliningrad is a Russian exclave located between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea.
Putin's remarks came after NATO publicly disclosed details of a Russian diplomatic note concerning Kaliningrad. According to the information released by NATO, the note warned that Russia could consider using nuclear weapons if an attempt were made to separate Kaliningrad from Russian territory.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has described nuclear threats as inappropriate.
Putin also warned that escalating retaliatory actions could push the conflict toward an irreversible and potentially deadly point.
He acknowledged that Russia has been striking Ukrainian energy infrastructure and claimed that Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries had affected Russia's gross domestic product by around one percent.
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