Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stark warning on Thursday that Russia might resort to using nuclear weapons if it faces a decisive defeat in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine. Speaking at the annual Valdai foreign policy forum near Moscow, Putin underscored the dangers of escalating retaliatory measures, cautioning that such actions could drive all parties to a "point of no return."

Putin emphasized the risks associated with nuclear escalation, noting that the world’s leading powers possess arsenals capable of causing catastrophic damage or even the obliteration of life on Earth. “Can we be sure that [a nuclear] weapon will never be used? Of course not,” he said, associating the likelihood of nuclear use with declarations aimed at achieving a strategic defeat of an adversary.

In his remarks, Putin paraphrased the 19th-century Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, referencing the principle that if a gun is introduced early in a narrative, it must eventually be discharged—a metaphor for the inevitability of escalation once weapons are introduced. Though the Russian leader appeared to struggle recalling the exact wording, his statement reinforced the gravity of the threat.

Putin also dismissed prospects for a ceasefire or peace negotiations, indicating Moscow’s intent to potentially annex additional Ukrainian territories beyond the five regions it already claims in the south and east of Ukraine. He reiterated Russia’s position that long-range strikes — carried out using Russian jet-powered drones — would continue unabated. These strikes have targeted infrastructure in Kyiv, including a major bridge, a school, and a nuclear research site; officials confirmed that no injuries were reported and that the nuclear reactor remained undamaged.

Separately, Russia issued a warning to NATO over its western exclave of Kaliningrad, threatening nuclear retaliation if any attempts were made by the alliance to sever the territory from mainland Russia. Putin reaffirmed that Moscow would defend Kaliningrad with "all the weaponry at our country’s disposal," though it was unclear what triggered the latest warning.

Since the onset of the war, Russian officials have issued several nuclear threats directed at Ukraine and its Western allies. NATO officials maintain there is no current evidence to suggest Russia is preparing to deploy nuclear weapons, but Ukrainian authorities have expressed concern that Putin might break the longstanding taboo on the use of nuclear arms in wartime. Roman Kostenko, secretary of Ukraine’s parliamentary security, defense, and intelligence committee, has previously described Putin as an unpredictable leader who could use tactical nuclear weapons to intimidate the international community.

The Valdai forum, initially scheduled for Sochi on the Black Sea coast, was relocated closer to Moscow due to unspecified security risks, according to reports. President Putin, who turns 74 on Wednesday, used the event to reaffirm his hardline stance on the Ukraine conflict amid increasing military and geopolitical pressures facing Russia.