Putin warns Russia will use all weapons to defend Kaliningrad

President Vladimir Putin has warned the West that Russia is prepared to use every weapon in its arsenal, including its nuclear capabilities, if its Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad faces a blockade or direct attack.

Speaking at the Valdai foreign policy forum in Moscow on Thursday, Putin said that any attempt to isolate the territory would instantly place the use of "all arms at the disposal of our country" on the agenda. His speech follows coordinated warnings from several Russian embassies in Europe this week, including a statement from the embassy in Ireland, which explicitly threatened a nuclear response if NATO tries to cut off the region.

The threat to Kaliningrad

Kaliningrad is a heavily militarised Russian territory on the Baltic Sea. Completely separated from the Russian mainland, it is sandwiched between NATO members Poland and Lithuania. It is home to Russia's Baltic fleet and nuclear-capable Iskander missiles.

Putin insisted that Moscow is "not threatening anyone" and does not plan to attack European countries. "We do not intend to attack anyone in 2029, in 2030, in 2050," he said. "But if we come across an aggression we will have to respond."

NATO has strongly rejected the Kremlin's claims of an impending blockade. Alliance spokesperson Allison Hart denounced what she called "irresponsible nuclear rhetoric," adding that NATO had formally written to Moscow to state that its military exercises pose no threat to Russian territory.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the alliance's message to Russia was simple: "Stop the nuclear threat. This is absolutely not called for and not helpful."

A 'fatal point of no return'

Beyond Kaliningrad, Putin used his speech to warn that escalating global tensions are approaching a "fatal point of no return".

He compared the presence of modern nuclear arsenals to a gun hanging on a theatre stage, noting that if a weapon is displayed at the start of a show, it is bound to be fired by the end. "Can we be certain that these weapons will never be used? Well, of course not," he said.

Turning to the war in Ukraine, now in its fifth year, Putin ruled out an immediate ceasefire, brushing off international calls to halt the fighting. "Now from every direction we're receiving calls 'let's stop'," he said. "But they started it."

He acknowledged that Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries had been partially successful, admitting they had cost Russia about 1% of its gross domestic product. He also stated that Ukraine had managed to damage more than 100 Russian vessels in the Black Sea.

Western intelligence agencies have warned that Russia could be prepared to strike a NATO member within a few years if it succeeds in Ukraine. Rutte urged allies to ignore Moscow's threats and keep their focus on supporting Kyiv, saying the best response to Russian intimidation is to "calm, carry on, keep the support for Ukraine going."