President Vladimir Putin of Russia warned the West about the possibility of nuclear war, stating that Russia was technically prepared for such a scenario. He emphasized that if the U.S. sent troops to Ukraine, it would be considered a significant escalation of the conflict. Putin, speaking ahead of Russia's upcoming election, stated that while Russia is prepared from a military-technical standpoint, he saw no need for the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine. He reiterated that the use of nuclear weapons was outlined in Russia's nuclear doctrine and that Russia was open to negotiations on Ukraine based on reality.