Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he does not believe the war with Ukraine calls for the use of nuclear weapons. His comments were featured in a new film aired on Russian state television, which looks back at his 25 years in power.
Putin Talks About Nuclear Weapons and the Ukraine War
“There has been no need to use nukes, and I hope they will not be required,” Putin said in the interview. He clarified that Russia does not need to use nuclear weapons to settle the conflict in Ukraine the way it desires because it possesses sufficient military might.
Putin also noted that Russia updated its nuclear policy in November 2024. These rules explain when nuclear weapons can be used. The newer version says Russia could use nuclear weapons even if there is a regular (non-nuclear) attack, but only if that attack is supported by a nuclear country. This makes the rules a bit more flexible than before.
Despite these changes, Putin made it clear that Russia still sees nuclear weapons as something they hope to never use. Instead, he said Russia has many other military tools to end the conflict that began in 2022.
He also spoke about the events of 2014, when Russia took control of Crimea. Putin said Russia didn’t launch a full invasion at that time because the country was not ready to face the entire Western world in a major war. He said they had hoped to solve the Donbas region’s issues through peace talks, not war.
Putin added that, in the long run, reconciliation with Ukraine is “inevitable,” meaning that both countries may eventually make peace — but gave no timeline or details.
Ukraine’s Response and Calls for Ceasefire
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to the situation by saying that peace is still possible. “A ceasefire is possible even starting today if Russia is truly serious,” Zelenskyy said during a press conference with Czech President Petr Pavel.
He also pointed out that Russia had ignored a U.S. call for a full ceasefire for the past 54 days, while Ukraine has continued to push for a 30-day halt in fighting. Zelenskyy said this would help reduce attacks and save lives. He thanked the Czech Republic for supporting this call.
Zelenskyy also criticized Russia for offering only a 72-hour ceasefire around May 8–10, which is when Russia celebrates Victory Day. Nazi Germany was defeated in World War II on this day. The Kremlin said this truce was for humanitarian reasons. But Zelenskyy said such offers were not serious, as Russia continued to attack even during previous short truces.
He gave an example of Easter, when Russia had declared a short 30-hour ceasefire. Even at that time, Russia conducted more than 100 assaults. This made Ukraine very doubtful about Russia’s promises, especially as fears about the use of nuclear weapons have added to the urgency of a longer truce.
Zelenskyy also said that Ukraine still needs strong military support. He stated that as part of a military assistance program headed by the Czech Republic, Ukraine hopes to receive 1.8 million artillery shells by 2025. With assistance from NATO nations, this initiative has already sent 1.5 million shells to Ukraine last year.
He also discussed plans to open an F-16 training school for Ukrainian pilots. Since Ukraine is still under attack, the school cannot be built in the country itself. They are working with allies to find a safe place for the school.
The discussion around nuclear weapons has continued to shape global reactions to the war, with many nations watching closely for signs of escalation. Zelenskyy has repeatedly warned that while Ukraine does not possess nuclear weapons, the threat of their use by Russia creates instability for the entire region. He urged the world not to ignore statements or doctrines that hint at potential nuclear weapons deployment in the conflict.
Drone Attacks and Life in Kyiv
Even as these talks were happening, Russian attacks on Ukraine continued. A Russian drone strike hit Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, during the night. Two children were among the eleven injured.
One of the residents, 83-year-old Valentyna Fesiuk, said her apartment building shook in the middle of the night. She recalled that the strike happened around 12:30 a.m., and a fire started on the 12th floor.
Another resident, Viacheslav Khotab, shared that his car caught fire and he was hit by broken glass. “I couldn’t do anything,” he said. The 54-year-old also shared his frustration over the stalled peace talks, saying, “They keep failing to reach any agreement, and it’s people like us who end up suffering.”
An 18-year-old student named Daryna Kravchuk also shared her experience. She said there were three loud strikes just minutes after the air raid sirens went off. She described how scary it was to live in constant fear, as buildings shake and people suffer.
Two people were also killed in separate bomb attacks in other parts of Ukraine on the same day. One person died in the Dnipropetrovsk region and another in Sumy.
Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 165 drones into Ukrainian territory overnight. Out of these, 69 were shot down, while around 80 were disrupted through electronic jamming. In addition, Russia fired two ballistic missiles.
At the same time, Russia’s Defense Ministry stated that its air defenses intercepted 13 Ukrainian drones.
This shows that, despite talks about ceasefires and peace, both sides are still launching air attacks. The people living in Ukraine continue to face danger and destruction daily.