٠٠:٠٧:٠٠Russia will 'under no circumstances' allow the creation of nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared at a meeting with the heads of leading BRICS media in Novo-Ogaryovo on Friday.
"Before the crisis entered a hot phase, [Kiev] had already declared that Ukraine should have nuclear weapons. And such a threat would provoke a corresponding reaction from the Russian Federation. I can say right away that Russia will under no circumstance allow it," Putin explained.
The head of state also said that the cancellation of his trip to the G20 forum in Brazil had nothing to do with the warrant issued by the International Criminal Court.
"We understand what is happening around Russia, and I do. I have excellent friendly relations with [Brazilian] President Lula [da Silva], so what if I go there on purpose to disrupt the normal work of this forum? We understand perfectly, and I understand that it's nothing, but even if we exclude that moment with the International Criminal Court (ICC), that's all that will be talked about. We would end up disrupting the work of the G20. Why would we want to do that?" he explained.
Media reports suggested on Thursday that Ukraine was considering designing its own nuclear weapons. President Zelensky stated that such a deterrent would be the only alternative to joining NATO but later denied he has plans to build a nuclear arsenal.
In March, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova and Russian President Vladimir Putin for 'war crimes related to the illegal deportation of the population (children) from the occupied territories of Ukraine to the territory of the Russian Federation'. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also made the accusation.
Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that the ICC's decision was 'outrageous and unacceptable', adding that Russia 'like a number of states, does not recognise the jurisdiction of this court'.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
'Under no circumstance' - Putin after Zelensky suggests Ukraine could seek nuclear weapons
Russia will 'under no circumstances' allow the creation of nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared at a meeting with the heads of leading BRICS media in Novo-Ogaryovo on Friday.
"Before the crisis entered a hot phase, [Kiev] had already declared that Ukraine should have nuclear weapons. And such a threat would provoke a corresponding reaction from the Russian Federation. I can say right away that Russia will under no circumstance allow it," Putin explained.
The head of state also said that the cancellation of his trip to the G20 forum in Brazil had nothing to do with the warrant issued by the International Criminal Court.
"We understand what is happening around Russia, and I do. I have excellent friendly relations with [Brazilian] President Lula [da Silva], so what if I go there on purpose to disrupt the normal work of this forum? We understand perfectly, and I understand that it's nothing, but even if we exclude that moment with the International Criminal Court (ICC), that's all that will be talked about. We would end up disrupting the work of the G20. Why would we want to do that?" he explained.
Media reports suggested on Thursday that Ukraine was considering designing its own nuclear weapons. President Zelensky stated that such a deterrent would be the only alternative to joining NATO but later denied he has plans to build a nuclear arsenal.
In March, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova and Russian President Vladimir Putin for 'war crimes related to the illegal deportation of the population (children) from the occupied territories of Ukraine to the territory of the Russian Federation'. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also made the accusation.
Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that the ICC's decision was 'outrageous and unacceptable', adding that Russia 'like a number of states, does not recognise the jurisdiction of this court'.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
Russia will 'under no circumstances' allow the creation of nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared at a meeting with the heads of leading BRICS media in Novo-Ogaryovo on Friday.
"Before the crisis entered a hot phase, [Kiev] had already declared that Ukraine should have nuclear weapons. And such a threat would provoke a corresponding reaction from the Russian Federation. I can say right away that Russia will under no circumstance allow it," Putin explained.
The head of state also said that the cancellation of his trip to the G20 forum in Brazil had nothing to do with the warrant issued by the International Criminal Court.
"We understand what is happening around Russia, and I do. I have excellent friendly relations with [Brazilian] President Lula [da Silva], so what if I go there on purpose to disrupt the normal work of this forum? We understand perfectly, and I understand that it's nothing, but even if we exclude that moment with the International Criminal Court (ICC), that's all that will be talked about. We would end up disrupting the work of the G20. Why would we want to do that?" he explained.
Media reports suggested on Thursday that Ukraine was considering designing its own nuclear weapons. President Zelensky stated that such a deterrent would be the only alternative to joining NATO but later denied he has plans to build a nuclear arsenal.
In March, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova and Russian President Vladimir Putin for 'war crimes related to the illegal deportation of the population (children) from the occupied territories of Ukraine to the territory of the Russian Federation'. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also made the accusation.
Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that the ICC's decision was 'outrageous and unacceptable', adding that Russia 'like a number of states, does not recognise the jurisdiction of this court'.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.