Putin's nuclear threat must be taken seriously: EU top official

London: the European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned that the EU must not ignore Vladimir Putin's threat of using nuclear weapons in Ukraine, IANS reported.

Borrell told the media that Putin wasn't bluffing and he must be taken seriously. His statement comes while Russia is initiating partial mobilisation of its military and is about to annex Ukraine's four regions.

However, Moscow has faced setbacks on the battlefield after Ukraine's counterattack pushed Russian forces back.

Borrell said, "Certainly, it's a dangerous moment because the Russian army has been pushed into a corner, and Putin's reaction - threatening using nuclear arms - it's very bad."

After seven months of Ukraine invasion, analysts admit that Russian forces are slogging a bit, but Borrell thinks a diplomatic solution is needed, which "preserves the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine", IANS quoted him.

"Otherwise, we can finish the war, but we will not have peace, and we will have another war," BBC quoted Borrell.

Putin had said that his country has various weapons of destruction, and he is ready to use all the options available to them. He said, "I'm not bluffing". Further, he announced the administration summoning 300,000 Russians for compulsory military service.

However, Borrell dismissed concerns that the EU's arms supplies were declining and added that the bloc would continue supplying military support to Ukraine. It would also impose more sanctions against President Putin and his allies as well as conduct diplomatic activity.

But he admitted that the surging cost of energy resulted from the conflict.

"People in my country tell me the price of the gas means we cannot continue working, we cannot continue making my business run," the Spanish politician said.