Putin lowers threshold of nuclear response as he issues new warnings to the West over Ukraine

MOSCOW — In a strong, new warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that any nation’s conventional attack on Russia that is supported by a nuclear power will be considered a joint attack on his country. Speaking at a meeting of Russia’s Security Council that considered changes in the doctrine, Putin announced that a revised version of the document states that an attack against his country by a nonnuclear power with the “participation or support of a nuclear power” will be seen as their “joint attack on the Russian Federation.” Putin didn’t specify whether the modified document envisages a nuclear response to such an attack, but he emphasized that Russia could use nuclear weapons in response to a conventional attack posing a “critical threat to our sovereignty,” a vague formulation that leaves broad room for interpretation. The current doctrine says Moscow could use its nuclear arsenal “in response to the use of nuclear and other types of weapons of mass destruction against it and/or its allies, as well as in the event of aggression against the Russian Federation with the use of conventional weapons when the very existence of the state is in jeopardy.” Russia’s hawks have been calling for toughening the doctrine for months, criticizing the current version as too vague and weak. “We will consider such a possibility when we receive reliable information about a massive launch of air and space attack assets and them crossing our state border,” Putin added, citing “strategic and tactical aircraft, cruise missiles, drones, hypersonic and other flying vehicles.” The broad formulation appears to significantly broaden the triggers for possible nuclear weapons use, compared with the current version of the document, which states Russia could tap its atomic arsenal if its receives “reliable information is received about the launch of ballistic missiles targeting the territory of Russia or its allies.” Ukraine has repeatedly struck Russian territory with missiles and drones in response to Moscow’s attacks. “Regardless of whether you think this is a bluff or not, it’s never good when a major nuclear power loosens the conditions for nuclear use in its declaratory policy,” said Samuel Charap, senior political scientist at RAND, in a post on X. Putin also said the revised doctrine envisages that Russia could use nuclear weapons in response to an aggression against its ally Belarus, adding that he has agreed on the issue with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.