ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — President Vladimir Putin warned Germany on Wednesday that the usage of its weapons by Ukraine to strike inside Russia would mark a “harmful step,” and he mentioned Moscow may, in flip, present long-range arms to others to strike Western targets.
Such motion by the West will additional undermine worldwide safety and will result in “very critical issues,” he mentioned, chatting with senior information leaders of worldwide information businesses, together with The Related Press.
“That will mark their direct involvement within the warfare towards the Russian Federation, and we reserve the correct to behave the identical approach,” Putin added.
As a result of utilizing such Western weapons includes navy personnel of these international locations controlling the missiles and choosing targets, Putin mentioned Moscow may take “asymmetrical” steps elsewhere on this planet.
“In the event that they take into account it potential to ship such weapons to the fight zone to launch strikes on our territory and create issues for us, why don’t we’ve the correct to produce weapons of the identical sort to some areas of the world the place they can be utilized to launch strikes on delicate amenities of the international locations that do it to Russia?” he mentioned.
“We are going to give it some thought,” he advised the journalists on the sidelines of the annual St. Petersburg Worldwide Financial Discussion board.
Germany joined the USA just lately in authorizing Ukraine to hit some targets on Russian soil with the long-range weapons they’re supplying to Kyiv. The deliveries of German tanks to Ukraine got here as a shock to many in Russia, he mentioned.
“Now in the event that they use missiles to strike amenities on the Russian territory, it would fully smash Russian-German relations,” he mentioned.
On Wednesday, a Western official and a U.S. senator mentioned Ukraine has used U.S. weapons to strike inside Russia beneath newly accredited steerage from President Joe Biden. It permits American arms for use for the restricted goal of defending Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest metropolis. The official was not approved to remark publicly on the delicate matter and spoke on situation of anonymity.
Taking questions from worldwide journalists for the primary time since his inauguration final month to a fifth time period, Putin additionally mentioned nothing will change by way of Russia-U.S. relations no matter whether or not Biden or Donald Trump wins the American presidential election in November.
“We are going to work with any president the American individuals elect,” Putin mentioned.
“I say completely sincerely, I wouldn’t say that we consider that after the election one thing will change on the Russian observe within the American politics,” he added. “We don’t assume so. We expect nothing that critical will occur.”
Putin additionally mentioned Trump’s felony conviction at his hush cash trial final week was the results of “the usage of the court docket system as a part of the inner political wrestle.”
The Russian chief confronted questions on numerous matters, though the greater than two years of preventing in Ukraine dominated the session.
Putin claimed the West had alternatives to finish the preventing in Ukraine however didn’t act on them, citing a letter he as soon as supposedly wrote to Biden that mentioned hostilities may finish in two or three months if Washington stopped supplying Kyiv with weapons.
Requested about Russian navy losses, Putin mentioned that no nation would reveal that data throughout hostilities however claimed with out offering particulars that Ukraine’s casualties are 5 instances better than Russia’s.
He additionally mentioned Ukraine has greater than 1,300 Russian troops in captivity, whereas greater than 6,400 Ukrainian troopers are being held in Russia.
The claims couldn’t be independently verified.
On different matters, Putin mentioned the U.S. is “taking energetic steps” to safe the discharge of Wall Road Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, an American jailed over a 12 months in the past whereas on a reporting journey and charged with espionage. Gershkovich, his employer and the U.S. have denied the allegations, and Washington has declared him to be wrongfully detained.
Putin mentioned that any such releases “aren’t determined by way of mass media” however by means of a “discreet, calm {and professional} strategy.”
“And so they definitely ought to be determined solely on the premise of reciprocity,” he added, an allusion to a possible prisoner swap.
Putin has used the St. Petersburg discussion board as a showcase for touting Russia’s growth and searching for buyers. Whereas conferences with journalists have been a part of earlier periods, he has not taken questions from Western journalists on the St. Petersburg occasion since sending troops to Ukraine.
Final 12 months, journalists from international locations that Russia regards as unfriendly — together with the U.S., the U.Ok. and the European Union — weren’t invited, and Western officers and buyers additionally steered away from the session after wide-ranging sanctions have been imposed on Moscow over Ukraine.
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Related Press author Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed.
