President Vladimir Putin said that Russia is ready to use nuclear weapons if there is a threat to its statehood, sovereignty or independence, voicing hope that the U.S. would refrain from actions that could trigger a nuclear conflict.
Putin's statement was another blunt warning to the West ahead of a presidential vote this week in which he is all but certain to "win" another six-year term.
In an interview with Russian state television released early Wednesday, Putin described President Joe Biden as a veteran politician who fully understands possible dangers of escalation, and said that he doesn't think that the world is heading to a nuclear war.
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