By Trendsetter Tribune 
A prominent Russian foreign policy figure has warned that Moscow could resort to nuclear weapons if it were close to military defeat, amid stalled Ukraine peace efforts and rising geopolitical tensions.
A prominent ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia could use nuclear weapons against Europe if it were ever on the brink of defeat, underscoring the escalating rhetoric surrounding the war in Ukraine.
Sergey Karaganov, honorary chairman of Russia’s Council for Foreign and Defense Policy, made the remarks during an interview aired Wednesday. Karaganov is a longtime foreign policy thinker in Moscow and a former adviser to the Kremlin.
“Defeat Would Trigger Nuclear Use,” Karaganov Says
In the interview, Karaganov dismissed the idea that Russia could be militarily defeated and described such a scenario as unacceptable from Moscow’s perspective.
“What is defeat of Russia?” Karaganov said. “If Russia comes ever close to a defeat, that would mean that Russia now would use nuclear weapons and Europe would be finished physically.”
He argued that the discussion of Russia’s defeat was driven by political needs in Western capitals rather than realistic military assessments.
Remarks Come as Peace Efforts Stall
The comments come as diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine remain stalled. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump told Reuters that he believes Putin is “ready to make a deal,” while suggesting that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has struggled to reach that point.
Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, echoed that view when speaking to reporters on Thursday.
NATO Tensions Add to Uncertainty
Karaganov’s remarks also arrive amid broader tensions within the NATO alliance. European allies have rallied behind Denmark after President Trump renewed calls for the United States to acquire Greenland, warning that the territory could otherwise fall under Chinese or Russian influence.
The dispute has added strain to relations between Washington and European capitals at a time when the alliance is already managing the fallout from the war in Ukraine.
Sharp Criticism of European Leaders
During the interview, which was broadcast on January 14, Karaganov described the idea of Russia’s defeat as a “fantastic illusion” and sharply criticized European leaders, accusing them of underestimating the risks of continued support for Ukraine.
He claimed that European governments wrongly believe that large-scale war would never reach their own territory. According to Karaganov, Russia’s role was to “bring them to their senses,” ideally through deterrence rather than direct military escalation.
“Hopefully without using nuclear weapons, only with the threat,” he said, while warning that continued support for Ukraine could lead to severe consequences.
A Familiar Position
Karaganov’s comments are consistent with positions he has taken previously. In June 2023, he publicly argued that Russia should threaten — and potentially use — nuclear weapons as a means of forcing Western governments to reconsider their policies toward the conflict.
While Karaganov does not speak officially for the Russian government, his views are widely seen as reflecting a hardline current within Moscow’s strategic thinking.
Heightened Rhetoric Raises Stakes
The renewed nuclear rhetoric highlights the increasingly high stakes surrounding the Ukraine war, even as world leaders continue to signal interest in diplomatic solutions. Whether such warnings are intended as deterrence or reflect genuine escalation risks remains a key concern for European and global security officials.