Commentary
In Vladimir Putin’s latest act of desperation, he has again threatened the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and by extension, the United States as its lead member, with nuclear weapons. The U.S. nuclear umbrella covers all NATO nations, so a nuclear threat against NATO is a nuclear threat against the United States.
On June 16, Putin noted that NATO countries supply Ukraine with heavy weaponry, such as U.S., British, and German tanks. He implicitly threatened NATO by musing, in this context, about Russia’s right to use nuclear weapons when the existence of the Russian state is threatened. Putin noted that Russia has more nuclear weapons than NATO countries and that there is a “serious danger” of NATO supplying additional heavy weaponry to Ukraine, such as fighter jets, and then being drawn into direct conflict with Russia….