Putin says he hopes there will be no need to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine

Russian President Putin discusses nuclear weapons in Ukraine, ceasefire proposals, and drone attacks in Kyiv.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in comments broadcast Sunday (May 4, 2025) that the need to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine had not arisen and that he hopes it will not.

In a preview of an upcoming interview with Russian State television, published on Telegram, Mr. Putin said Russia has the strength and the means to bring the conflict in Ukraine to a “logical conclusion.”

Responding to a question about Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory, Mr. Putin said: “There has been no need to use those (nuclear) weapons ... and I hope they will not be required.”

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“We have enough strength and means to bring what was started in 2022 to a logical conclusion with the outcome Russia requires,” he said.

Mr. Putin signed a revamped version of Russia’s nuclear doctrine in November 2024, spelling out the circumstances that allow him to use Moscow’s atomic arsenal, the world’s largest.

That version lowered the bar, giving him that option in response to even a conventional attack backed by a nuclear power.