NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg said during a press conference today that Russian talk of Ukraine using a “radiological dirty bomb” will not intimidate NATO into halting support for Ukraine. He went on to state, “I will not speculate about how long the war will last. I will only say two things, and one is that we are ready to support Ukraine for as long as it takes. We cannot allow President Putin to win.”
With global tensions over this war climbing dangerously high, it is significant that NATO is doubling down on its support for Ukraine. Also, it seems that as of late, international public support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia has waned. With the talk of nuclear weapons being used in the conflict, those who once were ardently on the side of Ukraine now believe the stakes are too high.
But how did we get to the point where nukes are being considered?
Well, the most plausible theory I have heard is this. The current regime in Russia will not accept defeat in Ukraine. The Russian military has been embarrassed on the global stage. Ukrainian forces have launched successful counter offensives across the country. The Kremlin is currently backed into a corner. However, if a nuke is used in any capacity in Ukraine, then it would raise the stakes of this conflict to such an extent that it would not be in the best interest of NATO aligned countries to support Ukraine. In this scenario, the statements that Ukraine itself is going to use such a weapon are preparations for Russia to move blame from themselves.
During the press conference Stoltenberg also said, “NATO will not be intimidated or deterred from supporting Ukraine’s right to self-defense. For as long as it takes. Every week, Ukraine’s forces are getting stronger and better equipped”.
