Ramil Sitdikov/Sputnik/Portal
Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 16, 2023.
CNN –
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that there is a “serious risk” that NATO will become further involved in the Ukraine war if members of the alliance continue to supply military weapons to Kiev.
“Of course, NATO is being drawn into the war in Ukraine, what are we talking about here,” Putin said on Friday at the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg.
“The shipments of heavy military weapons to Ukraine continue, they are now considering whether they could give the jets to Ukraine.”
The comment appeared to be related to the F-16 fighter jets that some members of the NATO alliance plan to supply Ukraine with.
NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was formed after World War II to protect western nations from the Soviet Union. The alliance includes a mutual defense clause, according to which an attack on one member is an attack on all. Although Ukraine is not a member of NATO, some NATO members are supplying tanks, armored vehicles and other weapons to Kiev – prompting threats of retaliation from Russia.
Western equipment sent to Ukraine includes German Leopard 2 tanks, British Challenger 2 tanks, and American Bradley and Stryker vehicles.
In late April, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said NATO allies and partners had delivered more than 1,500 vehicles and 230 tanks to the country.
During his speech in St. Petersburg, Putin said Russia destroyed tanks “including Leopards” on the front lines.
“And if they are stationed abroad but used in combat, we will see how to hit them and where to hit the means that will be used in combat against us,” Putin said.
“This is a serious risk of further drawing NATO into this military conflict,” he added.
During his speech to the forum, Putin also indicated that Russia’s large number of nuclear weapons would “guarantee” its security – and pointed out that Russia has more such weapons than NATO countries.
According to the Arms Control Association, as of January 2021, Russia has a total inventory of around 6,250 nuclear warheads. The US has more than 5,500, while two other NATO member countries, Britain and France, have about 220 and 290 nuclear warheads, respectively.
“Nuclear weapons are being created to ensure our broader security and the existence of the Russian state,” Putin said.
“But, firstly, there is no need, and secondly, just talking about it reduces the possibility that the barrier to using these weapons will be lowered.”
“In addition, we have more such weapons than the NATO countries. They know it and continue to seek negotiations for a reduction.”
In February, Putin said he would suspend Russia’s participation in the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty with the United States, jeopardizing the last remaining pact that governs the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals. The Russian Foreign Ministry then declared that the decision was “reversible”.
The treaty limits the number of deployed intercontinental-range nuclear weapons that both the US and Russia can have at their disposal. It was last extended by five years in early 2021.
Under the Nuclear Weapons Control Treaty, both the United States and Russia are permitted to carry out inspections of each other’s weapons sites.