Putin vows response to Ukraine's nuclear ambitions

Many reports from Russian media or government representatives are elements of propaganda and are part of the information war conducted by the Russian Federation.

On Friday, Putin met with heads of prominent media from BRICS member countries, which include Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. During the meeting, the Russian leader addressed Ukraine's peace plan, announced on Wednesday, for the first time.

"I have already said: the Ukrainian side does not consider it possible to conduct any negotiations at all. It merely formulates some of its demands, and these are not negotiations with us," stated Putin.

Putin also responded to Zelensky's remarks regarding Ukraine's strategic choices: "Such a threat will be adequately perceived; Russia will not allow it under any circumstances. Any step in this direction will be met with a corresponding reaction," he threatened.

Putin referred to Zelensky's statement as "another provocation." On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denied at NATO Headquarters that his country is preparing to create nuclear weapons "or anything similar." Still, earlier that day, he stated that "Ukraine has two options: either join NATO or have nuclear weapons."

Zelensky made his comments during a summit in Brussels. He disclosed that he had spoken with former U.S. President Donald Trump about Ukraine's prospects of joining NATO. He emphasized that Kyiv faces two options: joining the North Atlantic Alliance or obtaining nuclear weapons.

On the same day, the German newspaper Bild reported that "the authorities in Kyiv are seriously considering the possibility of recreating a nuclear weapons stockpile."

"Ukraine has the materials and knowledge, and if ordered, the first bomb could be made in just a few weeks," said an official involved in arms deliveries. According to the source, "The West should spend less time fretting about Russian President Vladimir Putin's red lines and set its own."