The consequences the West will have to bear will be “tragic,” says the Russian President, Vladimir Putin. The Russian president also accused the Western world of challenging Russia to get into an arm’s race. He also said that there is a need for Russia to upgrade its defenses as its neighboring countries, Sweden and Finland, are planning to join NATO.

Putin accused the West of having “provoked” the Ukrainian conflict and “continues to lie, without any embarrassment, saying that Russia allegedly intends to attack Europe.”

Commenting on French President Emmanuel Macron’s comments about the dispersal of the NATO army to Ukraine for help as it “could not be excluded,” the Russian President said, “The consequences for possible interventionists will be… tragic.”

“We also have weapons that can hit targets on their territory. All this really threatens a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons and the destruction of civilization. Don’t they get that?”

A number of countries are against the idea of sending troops to Ukraine for fighting purposes. These countries include Germany and the UK.

Matthew Miller, the State Department Representative, while representing the resentment of the USA over Putin’s remarks, said that this was “not the first time we have seen irresponsible rhetoric from Vladimir Putin. It is no way for the leader of a nuclear armed state to speak”.

While boasting of the variety of weapons, like hypersonic aircraft and other unmanned underwater vehicles, etc., owned by Russia, Vladimir Putin said that in terms of nuclear weapons and military preparations, Russia is in a “state of full readiness.”

Putin used the word “war” himself for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, although he himself wanted it to be referred to as a “special military operation.” Putin said that now the Russians are united against the attempts by the West to weaken Russia. He also added that this invasion was a result of an” absolute majority” of Russians supporting doing so. He also addressed the issue of US accusations about Russia’s plan to use nuclear weaponry to destroy their satellites in space.

Putin made the speech just a few weeks before the presidential elections, which are expected soon and in which his victory for the fifth time is likely to happen. The speech is being considered “to a large degree be seen as [Putin’s] election programme”, said the spokesperson for the Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov.

Putin also discussed other domestic and international issues in the speech. In a message to his citizens to focus on physical work instead of consuming alcohol, the president said, “Stop drinking and start skiing!”. Putin didn’t mention the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, whose widow Yulia has held Putin responsible for the death.