Russian President Vladimir Putin has scoffed at the idea of his country launching an attack on any NATO member, calling such notions "complete nonsense" and "sheer ravings." In a meeting with Russian air force pilots late on Wednesday, Putin emphasized that Russia has no aggressive intentions towards NATO states, particularly Poland, the Baltic countries, and the Czech Republic.
"We have no aggressive intentions towards these states," Putin said, according to a Kremlin transcript released on Thursday. "The idea that we will attack some other country - Poland, the Baltic States, and the Czechs are also being scared - is complete nonsense. It's just drivel."
Putin's remarks come amid heightened tensions between Russia and the West, with the Kremlin accusing the U.S. of fighting against Russia by supporting Ukraine with money, weapons, and intelligence. The Russian president also addressed the issue of F-16 fighter jets, which Western countries have pledged to donate to Ukraine in the coming months.
While Putin acknowledged that the F-16s would not significantly change the situation on the battlefield, he warned that Russia would destroy the aircraft just as it has been destroying tanks, armored vehicles, and other equipment supplied to Ukraine. He also noted that F-16s are capable of carrying nuclear weapons, adding that any airfields in third countries hosting these jets would become "legitimate targets" for Russian forces.
"Of course, if they will be used from airfields in third countries, they become for us legitimate targets, wherever they might be located," Putin said.
Ukraine has been seeking F-16s for many months to bolster its air force and counter Russian air dominance. A coalition of countries, including Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands, has promised to donate the fighter jets and help train Ukrainian pilots in their use.
Military analysts have suggested that while the arrival of F-16s won't be a game-changer due to Russia's massive air force and sophisticated air defense systems, they could help Ukraine target Russian facilities with long-range missile strikes. Ukraine's counteroffensive last year came up short, in part, due to the lack of air cover, which left its troops vulnerable to Russian aviation and artillery.
Despite Putin's warnings, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has expressed confidence that the F-16s will arrive in Ukraine in the coming months. The jets require high-standard runways and reinforced hangars to protect them from bombing attacks when on the ground, and it remains unclear how many Ukrainian air bases can meet these requirements.
As the war in Ukraine continues, Russia has maintained air dominance, although the provision of sophisticated Western air defense systems has forced Russian warplanes to avoid Ukrainian skies and launch attacks from Russian-controlled territory. The Kremlin currently holds a battlefield edge in weapons and troops, making incremental gains along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line.
Russia has persisted in its attritional attacks designed to wear down Ukrainian defenses, with regular bombardments of the capital Kyiv and strikes on energy facilities across the country. These attacks aim to weaken Ukrainian morale and act as retribution for Ukrainian long-range strikes on Russian soil.
