The aggressive rhetoric and "announcements" of Russian President Vladimir Putin should be taken seriously. This was stated by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Onet reports.

"Not only the aggressive rhetoric, but also the decisions announced by Putin - to increase Russia's self-sufficiency, to put the economy on a military lines, to modernize the army - all this should be taken absolutely seriously," Tusk said.

As the Polish Prime Minister explained, Europe needs to understand that "the arms race that Russia is imposing on the world obliges the West to wake up and prepare militarily for potential threats."

"The European Union must make decisions that will balance Russia's military potential and make Europe better prepared for bad scenarios," Tusk added.

Earlier, Putin addressed the Federal Assembly with a message. During his speech, he declared the nuclear forces "fully operational" and spoke about the consequences of NATO's military involvement in Ukraine.