UPDATE - Russia says will take 'all necessary retaliatory steps' if US nuclear weapons appear in Poland

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By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) — Russia on Monday said it will take necessary steps if US nuclear weapons appear in neighboring Poland.

"The military, of course, if such plans are implemented, will analyze the situation and in any case will do everything necessary, all the necessary retaliatory steps, to guarantee our security," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters at a press briefing in Moscow.

Peskov's remarks came after Polish President Andrzej Duda said in an interview with local media earlier in the day that his country would allow the deployment of nuclear weapons on Polish territory "if this is the decision of our allies."

During the press briefing, Peskov said Moscow would also take legal action against legislation in the US that would allow the seizure of frozen Russian assets.

"We are very skeptical about this, because this is nothing short of a breakdown of all the foundations of the economic system ... In no case should this be taken as legal actions — they are illegal. And accordingly, they will be the subject of retaliatory actions and the subject of litigation," Peskov said.

On Saturday, the US House of Representatives passed a $60.8 billion aid bill to Ukraine, as well as an act allowing the administration of President Joe Biden to confiscate Russian assets present in US banks and transfer them to Ukraine.

Expressing that this trial will be "very complex," he said it would cause severe damage to US economic interests should the bill be signed into law.

"If such measures are implemented, of course, many investors will think 10 times before making any investments in the American economy or storing their holdings there," he added.

Peskov went on to say that Russia expects more Western "sanctions exercises" to come.

"We will look at what decisions will be made, in any case we will try to minimize the consequences of such decisions and do as our national interests dictate," the Kremlin spokesman added.