Putin Declares Changes to Russian Nuclear Doctrine

Europe|Putin Declares Changes to Russian Nuclear Doctrine

• Sept. 25, 2024, 2:27 p.m. ET

President Vladimir V. Putin intensified his threats against the West on Wednesday, declaring that Russia should be able to use nuclear weapons if it was attacked by a state that was supported by a nuclear power.

Though he did not mention specific countries, his remarks suggested that Western support for a conventional attack of Russia by Ukraine should be considered a joint attack and could, under certain circumstances, merit a nuclear response.

His declaration coincides with a visit this week to the United States by President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, where he is speaking at the United Nations General Assembly and will meet with President Biden on Thursday. Mr. Zelensky has been lobbying heavily for permission to use Western weapons to strike deeper into Russian territory.

Speaking at a meeting with his top officials in the Kremlin, Mr. Putin announced proposed amendments to the Russian military doctrine, the policy document that regulates the use of nuclear weapons.

“It is proposed that aggression against Russia by any nonnuclear state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear state be considered as their joint attack on the Russian Federation,” said Mr. Putin.

The Russian leader said that the policy needed to be amended because “military-political circumstances is changing dynamically.”

“The conditions for Russia’s transition to the use of nuclear weapons are also clearly fixed,” Mr. Putin said, adding that Moscow would consider such a move if it detected the start of a massive launch of missiles, aircraft, or drones against it.

Russia views Kyiv’s offensive into its Kursk region as an operation that was done with the support of its Western allies. Mr. Putin has repeatedly said that he sees Ukraine as a proxy for its Western allies whose main goal is to defeat Russia.