Putin Warns NATO of Nuclear Response Over Kaliningrad

Vladimir Putin and Russian officials have warned that an attempt by NATO countries to blockade or isolate Kaliningrad could prompt a response using Russia’s full military arsenal, including nuclear weapons. Putin framed the warning as a response to aggression, while also criticizing Western weapons supplies to Ukraine and NATO military exercises; Kaliningrad is a Russian exclave bordered by Poland and Lithuania. NATO has rejected the claim that its activities threaten Russia and condemned the nuclear rhetoric, while European leaders have defended continued support for Ukraine and called for stronger deterrence and military readiness. Analysts and commentators have urged Western governments to weigh the risk of escalation, though their assessments of the threat and appropriate response differ.