How do American leaders and their allies intend to respond if President Vladimir Putin makes good on renewed threats of annexing territory or even using nuclear weapons? At least to start with, by trying to double down on the same tactics: more financial penalties and international isolation for Russia, more arms and other backing for Ukraine.
How do American leaders and their allies intend to respond if President Vladimir Putin seeks to escalate his way out of a bad situation on Ukraine's battlefields, and makes good on renewed threats of annexing territory or even using nuclear weapons?
"What they do will determine what response would occur," Biden said on the nuclear side, adding that the U.S. responses in that case would be "consequential." "Russia, its political leadership, and all those involved in organizing these `referenda' as well as in other violations of international law and international humanitarian law in Ukraine will be held accountable," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell pledged this week, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Pressed by reporters in New York for details about what might be coming, Borrell said the sanctions would target "new areas of the Russian economy, especially -- if I can be a little more concrete -- the technological ones." Militarily, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said this month that NATO is working with the defence industry to explore ways to boost arms production to better meet Ukraine's needs and replenish the arsenals of allies who have been providing weapons and defence systems.
It's difficult to fathom Putin launching any central strategic nuclear strike at the United States or its NATO allies, which would be "to commit suicide," said Gottemoeller, the former deputy NATO secretary-general.
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