President Vladimir Putin, on Friday, June 7, stated that Russia would contemplate supplying weapons to adversaries of Western nations that furnish arms to Ukraine, reiterating a recent caution.
He did not specify the destinations for such arms, mentioning only that they might be “states or even other legal entities facing certain pressures, including military, from the countries providing arms to Ukraine, and encouraging its use against us, against Russian territory.” However, he emphasized that Moscow is not currently engaged in such activities.
Read more: Putin states that Russia could employ nuclear weapons if threatened
“If they supply (weapons) to the combat zone and call for using these weapons against our territory, why don’t we have the right to do the same?” Putin questioned at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. “But I’m not ready to say that we will be doing it tomorrow, either.”
Earlier, Putin underscored that despite substantial international sanctions, Russia’s economy is expanding, and the nation has broadened economic partnerships with countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. This was part of his effort to attract investors at the forum, a long-standing event used by Russia to demonstrate its development, even though Western officials and investors have largely avoided it since sanctions significantly curtailed Russia’s trade with Western Europe, the US, and their allies.
Speaking to the presidents of Bolivia and Zimbabwe and business leaders, Putin noted that Russia “remains one of the key participants in world trade,” despite being under extensive sanctions for deploying troops into Ukraine.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine is a major driver of Russia’s economic growth, now as crucial economically as it is politically. While there has been a shortage of imported goods and many global brands have vanished or been replaced by Russian equivalents, there has been little other significant change economically for most people. Massive state spending on military equipment and substantial payments to volunteer soldiers have significantly boosted the economy.
Although Putin has tightly controlled his media appearances since the deployment of forces into Ukraine, he responded to questions on Wednesday from international journalists, including some from Western countries he has criticized, on the sidelines of the forum.
During that meeting, Putin cautioned that Russia could supply long-range weapons to others to target Western locations in response to NATO allies allowing Ukraine to use their arms to attack Russian territory. He also reiterated Moscow’s preparedness to use nuclear weapons in the event of a threat to its sovereignty.
