MOSCOW

Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in response to aggression by Western nations, head of the country's Security Council said on Thursday.

In an interview with state news agency TASS, Sergey Shoygu, a former defense minister, said Russia is closely monitoring the military buildup in European countries.

"In November 2024, amendments were introduced to the Fundamentals of the State Policy of the Russian Federation on Nuclear Deterrence, affirming that Russia reserves the right to employ nuclear weapons in the event of aggression whether nuclear or conventional against itself or the Republic of Belarus," he explained.

Shoygu said under the updated National Security Strategy, if foreign states engage in unfriendly acts that threaten Russia's sovereignty or territorial integrity, Moscow may respond with both symmetrical and asymmetrical measures to deter such actions and prevent their recurrence.

Nuclear deterrence, Shoygu said, targets states and military alliances that regard Russia as a potential adversary and possess weapons of mass destruction or substantial general-purpose military capabilities.

These measures also extend to countries that allow their territory and resources to be used in preparations for or execution of aggression against Russia, he said.

"The commitment to maintaining the integrity of the joint defense space of Russia and Belarus, as well as the coordinated implementation of strategic deterrence measures, has been codified in the Security Concept of the Union State, adopted in December 2024, and in the Agreement on Security Guarantees between Russia and Belarus, developed with the active involvement of both nations' security councils," he added.

The European Commission unveiled in March the ReArm Europe plan for an investment surge in defense capabilities of member states.​​​​​​