Putin-West Trying To Lay Nuclear Blame On Russia

President Vladimir Putin states that the West is trying to lay the blame of a nuclear threat on Russia, adding that Ukraine allegedly has the means to make a 'dirty bomb', and that Russia would not use one. Says that Russia has a doctrine about nuclear weapons, that 'they should only be used for defence'.

• Putin: 'We are ready to restart dialogue on strategic security with the United States', but that it received no response.
• Comes as Putin has finished his speech to the the Valdai Club. In the event, the speech offered little in terms of concrete policy indications. Instead Putin used the address to rail against the West and its alleged attempts to 'dominate' the world and impose itself on other regions.
• Putin stated that the collapse of the Soviet Union 'destroyed the balance of geopolitical forces'.