On Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) made a contentious claim stating that France and Britain are actively involved in providing Ukraine with nuclear weapons and their launch systems. The Russian authorities did not offer any evidence to support their assertions, raising questions about the motivations behind such accusations. This statement comes four years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, highlighting ongoing tensions between Russia and the West.

During a meeting with the heads of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), President Vladimir Putin addressed the claims, suggesting that Russia's adversaries would likely understand the severe consequences of any attack against Russia or its troops that might involve nuclear elements. The remarks served as a stark warning to Western nations, indicating a continued posture of defiance from Moscow, which insists on its nuclear capabilities as a deterrent.

Additionally, Yuri Ushakov, an advisor to Putin, indicated that Russia intends to inform the United States about Ukraine's supposed aspirations to acquire nuclear weapons. Dmitry Medvedev, the former president of Russia and current deputy chairman of the Security Council, intensified the rhetoric by stating that Russia would consider using nuclear weapons against Ukraine, France, and Britain if those two Western countries become directly involved. This escalation in rhetoric suggests a possibly volatile situation, where nuclear threats are used to assert Russia's position amid an ongoing conflict that has resulted in deepening divisions in international relations.