President Vladimir Putin of Russia says Moscow will continue to develop its nuclear weapons to preserve the balance of power in the world.
At a ceremony attended by graduates of military, police and intelligence service academies in the Kremlin, Putin said Moscow plans “to further develop the nuclear triad as a guarantee of strategic deterrence and to preserve the balance of power in the world.”
Putin has previously said that the “Western model” of global security has effectively collapsed and that the world requires a new and more stable system in its place.
In separate remarks on Thursday, the Russian leader also warned the West against "lowering the threshold for nuclear weapon use."
He said Moscow may justify the use of nuclear weapons if another nation uses them against Russia or if the "very existence of the state is put under threat."
Moscow, Putin said, is aware that a "potential adversary" is working on new elements "related to lowering the threshold of nuclear weapon use.”
He made the warning not long after NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said members of the military alliance are discussing increased nuclear readiness in the face of growing threats from Russia and China,
The Russian president did not rule out security talks with NATO states. He said on Friday that the Kremlin is ready “for a broad international discussion of these key, vital issues” with the US-led military alliance.