Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia is considering potential adjustments to its nuclear weapons doctrine. The current doctrine indicates that Russia may use such weapons in response to a nuclear attack or if faced with a conventional attack that poses an existential threat to the state.
Since the onset of the war in Ukraine, some hardline Russian military analysts have been calling for Moscow to lower the thresholds for nuclear use. Putin stated that Russia does not need to carry out a preemptive nuclear strike. He was speaking to reporters following a visit to North Korea, which also possesses nuclear weapons, where he held a summit with its leader Kim Jong-un.
The two leaders signed a treaty in which each side committed to providing immediate military assistance to the other in the event of armed aggression against either of them. Russian state media quoted Putin as saying that Moscow expects cooperation with North Korea to act as a deterrent to the West, but there is no need to employ North Korean soldiers in the war in Ukraine.
Putin also indicated that he does not rule out the possibility of Russia supplying North Korea with precision weapons. He stated that South Korea would be making a "grave mistake" if it decided to supply weapons to Ukraine, and that Seoul should not be concerned about Russia and North Korea entering into a mutual defense agreement. Earlier, Putin affirmed that Moscow would respond to any actions taken by South Korea in this regard.
