Kremlin says Russia will use nuclear weapons if its existence is threatened

MOSCOW — Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Saturday that Russia would use nuclear weapons if the existence of the Russian state were threatened, but not otherwise. "If the existence of the Russian state is threatened, nuclear weapons will be used; if not, they will not. Everything else is mere speculation," Peskov said, according to a statement reported by Russian media. Peskov rejected the prospect of a third world war, saying Moscow was too large and responsible a power to take such a step. He also said Russia's concerns were growing over European rearmament and what he described as attempts to create an "enemy" in Russia. The statement comes as Russia has revised its nuclear doctrine several times in recent months, broadening the conditions under which atomic weapons could be used. European countries have meanwhile increased military aid to Ukraine and spoken of the need to strengthen their defenses against Russia.