Putin laid out, according to a translation: "The updated version of the document proposes that aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear-weapon state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear-weapon state, should be considered as a joint attack on the Russian Federation."

While not stating that this would automatically greenlight the ability of Russia to respond with nuclear weapons, he did assert that the threshold for their use would be met based on "reliable information about a massive launch of aerospace attack means and their crossing of our State border."

He then included defense of Belarus as being part of the change: "We reserve the right to use nuclear weapons in the event of aggression against Russia and Belarus as a member of the Union State," Putin said.