Putin won’t likely use nukes, but Kyiv still needs US assistance

Vladimir Putin has never explicitly said that he would employ nuclear weapons in order  to bring the Ukraine war to an end. On the other hand, he has taken several steps to create the impression that Moscow is prepared fire those weapons if it deems it militarily necessary.

These steps include approving an updated nuclear doctrine that appears to lower Russia’s nuclear threshold; stressing Moscow’s readiness to employ nuclear weapons in support of allies such as Ukraine’s neighbor Belarus and moving these weapons onto Belarusian territory; and approving major tactical nuclear drills amidst an uptick in Ukrainian drone attacks.

Moreover, several of Putin’s henchmen have been less coy about their country resorting to tactical nuclear weapons. Most notably, they include former President and current deputy chairman of the Russian National security council Dmitry Medvedev, who has repeatedly threatened their use.

For example, in July 2023, Medvedev responded to a Ukrainian counteroffensive, stating that if “the offensive…succeeded … we would have to use nuclear weapons.” Earlier this year, as the Russian offensive had bogged down while Ukrainian missiles and drones were hitting targets in Moscow, Medvedev asserted that “our patience is not limitless. This ultimate [nuclear option] remains a last resort. … Today we are a few steps from it.”

Both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese president Xi Jinping have advised the Russian leader against contemplating the use of these weapons. Numerous reports indicate that Modi’s outreach to Putin in 2022, again two years later, dissuaded the Russian leader from resorting to........

© The Hill