Putin to Convene Nuclear Deterrence Meeting Amid Escalating Tensions

President Vladimir Putin will lead a meeting of Russia's Security Council to discuss nuclear deterrence as Moscow considers its response to Ukraine's call for Western missile strikes into Russia. The ongoing conflict has intensified global tensions, prompting discussions about nuclear policies and the potential need for new arms control treaties.

President Vladimir Putin is set to chair a crucial meeting of Russia's Security Council on nuclear deterrence this Wednesday, as Moscow deliberates its response to Ukraine's requests for U.S. approval to strike deep into Russian territory using long-range Western missiles, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Peskov emphasized the significance of the council meeting, likened to a modern-day politburo, which will feature a speech from Putin. The details of the meeting remain top secret. The nearly three-year Ukraine conflict has led to the most severe confrontation between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

Putin, the key decision-maker for Russia's substantial nuclear arsenal, is weighing potential measures if the U.S. and its NATO allies permit Ukraine to target Russia with Western-supplied missiles. Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has been advocating for this capability to mitigate Moscow's offensive power. Meanwhile, NATO discusses contingency plans for evacuations in the event of escalated hostilities with Russia. Putin has warned of the global war risks posed by these actions.

(With inputs from agencies.)