Russian TV presenters have urged Vladimir Putin to consider dropping nuclear bombs on a NATO country to “solve” the world’s problems “at once”. In a chilling diatribe hawkish presenter Vladimir Solovyov raged that Russia should move nuclear weapons into Iran, under Kremlin control, and even attack NATO member Poland with an atomic weapon.

Speaking on Russian state TV, Solovyov said Russian should use tactical weapons against Ukraine and “just in case, also drop one into Poland”, adding: “No one will say a word. They will impose sanctions, so what?”. Under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) it is stated that an armed attack against one or more of the NATO members shall be considered an attack against them all. If Russia did attack Poland it would trigger World War 3.

Countering Solovyov’s warmongering rant, fellow panel member Leonid Kalashnikov asked what would happen if Ukraine “was one step away” from making a nuclear bomb?”.

Solovyov, who is known as Putin’s mouthpiece, fired back: “Vladimir Putin said it all, there will be catastrophic consequences, Ukraine will cease to exist, it’s not needed even now.

“Everything that is ours is necessary, but everything that is theirs isn’t.”

In Ukraine, Russian drones, missiles and artillery killed at least 24 civilians and injured 200 others in a spate of attacks on Tuesday, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Russian forces have relentlessly blasted civilian areas of Ukraine throughout the war, which is now in its fourth year. More than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed, according to the United Nations. Ukraine has also launched long-range drones against Russia, hitting residential areas.

NATO countries have been meeting for their annual summit at the Hague in the Netherlands, discussing, amongst other things, the war in the Middle East between Iran and Israel. Russia has so far backed Iran in the conflict after it received thousands of Iranian-made drones which it has used in the war in Ukraine.

Sir Keir Starmer said it was “very important” for allies to “come together” at the Nato summit in the Hague amid volatility in the Middle East. The Prime Minister told ITV News: “We got to a ceasefire in the early hours of today in relation to the conflict in Iran.

“That is a good thing, and we need to make sure that the ceasefire is maintained.”

He added: “The focus for all of us, whether it’s here or elsewhere, has always been to de-escalate and allow that negotiated outcome to take place.

“Here at NATO, we obviously have the opportunity to show the significant importance of NATO, probably as important and as strong today as it’s ever been. Therefore, it’s very important to come together at this summit. I think the events of the last few days just show what a volatile world we’re living in.

“It is a good thing that in those circumstances allies are coming together for this summit to look at the capability of NATO, and to ensure that it’s fit for the future.”