St. Petersburg, Russia - Russia is not considering a nuclear strike in its conflict with the West over Ukraine, but the Russian nuclear doctrine is a "living instrument" that could change depending on the circumstances, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.

Putin, speaking at an economic forum in St. Petersburg, said his country would only use nuclear weapons in extreme situations, and these have not yet occurred.

"We have no need to think about this issue," the Russian leader told the 27th St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

Russia could carry out nuclear tests, but for the time being, there is no need to do so, Putin said. But that could change if circumstances do.

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"We should not speak of nuclear war without necessity," Putin said, presenting himself more cool-headed than the moderator of the discussion, veteran Russian political expert Sergei Karaganov, who has advocated for a Russian nuclear strike to deter the West more strongly.

At Friday's event, Karaganov once again tried to push the Russian president in this direction.

Putin said there would not be a major nuclear exchange with the US, but he questioned the US nuclear umbrella for its European allies.

The Russian leader hypothesized that Washington would not want to become embroiled in a strategic nuclear war in response to Russian retaliatory strikes against Europe.

In Ukraine, Russia would achieve its war aims through a slow, planned advance, he said. A faster advance would risk the lives of Russian soldiers.

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During Russia's war with Ukraine, which Putin started in February 2022, he has repeatedly tried to dissuade Western states from supporting Ukraine by pointing to Russia's nuclear potential.

Putin repeated his threat to supply Russian weapons to anti-Western states in response to Western arms aid for Ukraine.