Putin warns of 'serious consequences' if Western arms strike Russia

The warning came as French President Emmanuel Macron said Kyiv should be allowed to "neutralise" Russian military bases from where Kremlin troops are firing missiles into Ukraine, and as President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the world not to tire of the war.
Putin's comments came after some NATO members as well as the alliance's chief Jens Stoltenberg have called to allow Ukraine to use their arms to step up attacks on Russian soil, after more than two years of war.
"This constant escalation can lead to serious consequences," Putin said during a visit to Uzbekistan.
"In Europe, especially in small countries, they should be aware of what they are playing with," he said, noting that many European countries had "small territory" and a "dense population".
"And this factor, which they should keep in mind before they talk about striking deep into Russian territory, is a serious thing," he said.
He added that even if Ukraine's forces carried out the strikes, responsibility for them would lie with Western suppliers of the weapons.
Putin also said that while he believed Western military instructors were already in Ukraine operating undercover as mercenaries, any move by countriesto send them officially would be another "escalation" and "another steptowards a serious conflict in Europe, towards a global conflict".
Ukraine's top commander announced Monday that talks were being held with France on sending military instructors to the country, reports BSS.
Putin warned that "we will do what we think is necessary regardless of who ison the territory of Ukraine".
EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said after a meeting of EU defenceministers in Brussels that European countries remained split on sendingmilitary instructors to Ukraine.
Countries including Germany oppose taking a step they fear could potentiallydrag them closer to direct conflict with a nuclear-armed Russia.
EU countries have trained 50,000 Ukrainian troops outside the war-torncountry under a bloc-wide mission set up in 2022.
- June summit goal -
Zelensky has been pressing Western allies to provide longer-range missilesand other material for striking deeper into Russia in a bid to cripple itsmilitary and industrial capacity.
With the Russian assault now in its third year, Ukraine is also pleading formore weapons for its outgunned and outnumbered troops, notably seeking helpto address its lack of air defence systems.
So far Kyiv's partners have demanded that their arms not be used to attackRussian soil, which Kyiv forces have instead been doing with local-madeexplosive drones.
But France's Macron said that "We think that we should allow them toneutralise military sites where missiles are fired, from where... Ukraine isattacked," but that "we should not allow them to touch other targets inRussia, and obviously civilian capacities".
The White House however ruled out such a possibility for US-supplied weapons.
"There's no change to our policy at this point. We don't encourage or enablethe use of US-supplied weapons to strike inside Russia," National SecurityCouncil spokesman John Kirby told a briefing.
Zelensky, on a European tour to keep arms and support flowing to hisembattled country, urged the world not to get tired of the war, saying itwould play into Russia's hands.
"It is very important for Ukrainians that the world does not get tired...that the world understands that it cannot get tired of the war launched bythe aggressor," Zelensky said in Portugal during a tour of several Europeancapitals.
"Otherwise there will be no justice, otherwise the world will change,otherwise the world will be changed by people like Putin," he said.
Zelensky is also trying to whip up support for a peace conference due to beheld in Switzerland next month, without Russia, and on Tuesday urged USPresident Joe Biden to attend.
"If (Biden) is not present, it will be just like applauding Putin: personallyapplauding and doing so standing," Zelensky said at a press conference withBelgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.
Putin is "very scared" of the peace summit aimed at agreeing the terms neededto end the conflict, Zelensky said, adding that "He has been trying to thwartthis summit and continues to do so".
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said any such conference was "hopeless"without Russia's participation.