High-Stakes Meeting: Putin Chairs Security Council on Nuclear Deterrence Amid Ukraine Tensions

President Putin will chair a Russia's Security Council meeting on nuclear deterrence, responding to Ukraine's request for U.S. permission to strike deep into Russia with Western missiles. The meeting follows rising tensions and warnings of potential global war risk, as both nations hold the majority of the world's nuclear capabilities.

President Vladimir Putin is set to chair a pivotal meeting of Russia's Security Council on nuclear deterrence this Wednesday. The high-stakes gathering comes as Moscow deliberates its response to Ukraine's plea for U.S. authorization to strike deep into Russian territory with long-range Western missiles. Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, emphasized the meeting's significance, indicating that key sections would be classified as 'top secret.'

The ongoing Ukraine war has plunged Russia and the West into their most severe confrontation since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. Putin, who controls Russia's extensive nuclear arsenal, is faced with deciding how to counteract should the U.S. and its allies permit Ukraine to utilize Western-provided missiles against Russia. On September 12, Putin warned that such a move would equate to a direct conflict with Russia, necessitating appropriate responses.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has been pushing for the capability to strike Russian targets, arguing that only force can compel Moscow towards peace. With the war escalating, Western leaders, including President Joe Biden, maintain that Putin must not be allowed to win. As arms control treaties falter and Russia revises its nuclear doctrine, tensions continue to rise, highlighting the need for immediate dialogue to prevent a global conflict.

(With inputs from agencies.)