Vladimir Putin stated that Russia would consider an attack from a non-nuclear state backed by a nuclear-armed one as a “joint attack,” hinting at potential nuclear weapon use in the Ukraine conflict. He suggested changing Russia’s nuclear use rules, amid Ukraine’s request for long-range Western missiles to target Russian military sites. Ukraine’s President Zelensky is meeting US President Biden to discuss this. Putin’s remarks were criticized as nuclear blackmail by Ukraine, while China urged calm. Putin emphasized that Russia’s nuclear arsenal is crucial for national security.