President Vladimir Putin has no room to back down.
He is now trapped by a narrative and an evolving ideology, and has no choice but to join forces regarding the devastating war in Ukraine.
This conflict has been sold to the public as a war for the survival of the country.
That means he raises the stakes every time the West escalates its response to his escalation.
Follow the latest information about the Ukraine war
In a conflict that has now lasted more than 1,000 days, we are once again stuck in a dangerous cycle.
President Putin’s latest threat is a declaration that the United States is putting itself at risk of nuclear war by increasing military aid.
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President Zelenskiy condemns ‘new missile’ attack
His message is simple. To frighten, dissuade and break the resolve of Ukraine’s allies.
Russian leaders increasingly characterize the war as a “world conflict” and threaten to attack the West if it continues to support Kiev.
His belligerent stance comes after Western powers authorized the supply of long-range weapons to strike deep into Russia.
The move is not a game-changer, but it changes the dynamics of the war and gives Zelenskiy’s beleaguered people hope at a time when they are suffering.
President Putin visited the Kremlin earlier this week. Photo: Sputnik/Vyacheslav Prokofiev/Reuters
But Putin’s harsh words were accompanied by action.
He authorized the use of new intermediate-range missiles with nuclear capabilities in Ukraine.
For Moscow, this was an inevitable response to what the Kremlin called “Western aggression.”
This technology not only brings destruction to Ukraine, but also sends a chilling message that Western Europe is well within its reach.
Implications are becoming clear that unless Western countries change their policies, broader conflict may not be far away.
This is also emphasized by recent changes in Russia’s nuclear doctrine, which further complicates the situation.
The Kremlin is trying to alarm Western leaders by lowering the threshold for using nuclear weapons if Russia is attacked by a non-nuclear state backed by a nuclear state (such as the United States).
It is also an attempt to directly communicate to voters the dangers associated with unrestricted aid to Ukraine.
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Although many analysts are skeptical that Russia will use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, President Putin continues to make clear that it is not impossible.
However, the potential for miscalculations and accidents remains high.
And certainly the Kremlin hopes that Putin’s perceived unpredictability will itself be a powerful weapon against its enemies.
