MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that global climate change poses new challenges to Russia.

Speaking at his annual news conference Thursday, Putin said that global warming could threaten Russian Arctic cities and towns built on permafrost.

He added that climate changes could trigger fires, devastating floods and other negative consequences.

Putin emphasized that Russia has abided by the Paris agreement intended to slow down global warming.

At the same time, he noted that factors behind the global climate change have remained unknown and hard to predict.