Putin Rejects Ceasefire at Valdai, Warns of Nuclear Escalation Over Kaliningrad
Vladimir Putin rejected a proposed mutual ceasefire on energy and naval strikes at the Valdai Forum, calling the idea 'absurd.' He warned that any threat to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad would trigger a nuclear response, while acknowledging that Ukrainian attacks on refineries have cost Russia 1% of its GDP. The speech follows a September meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, where Kyiv proposed halting strikes on Russian oil facilities in exchange for Moscow stopping attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
