Blinken says the U.S. is ‘worried’ about Russia’s nuclear policy

The United States has expressed significant concern regarding the possibility that Russia might be contemplating the use of nuclear weapons, as stated by outgoing Secretary of State Antony Blinken in an interview with the Financial Times published on Saturday.

Blinken’s remarks were in response to inquiries about Moscow’s purported “nuclear sabre-rattling,” which seems to reference modifications made to its nuclear doctrine last year.

Following discussions among Ukraine’s Western allies, including the United States, regarding the provision of foreign-made weapons to Ukraine for strikes deep within Russian territory, Russia announced revisions to its nuclear doctrine.

In November, President Vladimir Putin approved these changes, which broadened the circumstances under which a nuclear response could be warranted. The updated doctrine includes scenarios where aggression from a non-nuclear state or a coalition of states, backed by a nuclear power, might be interpreted as a “joint attack.” Nevertheless, the document characterizes nuclear weapons as “an extreme and forced measure” and emphasizes Moscow’s intention to avert tensions that could escalate into military confrontations, including nuclear warfare.

Blinken indicated that Washington perceives these changes as increasing the risk of nuclear escalation.

“Even if the likelihood rises from 5 to 15%, when it comes to nuclear weapons, the stakes are incredibly high,” Blinken remarked. He had previously labeled Russia’s intentions to revise its doctrine as “irresponsible” when they were first revealed last September.

Additionally, Blinken suggested that China might have played a role in dissuading Russia from resorting to nuclear weapons.

There are indications that China may have advised Russia against certain actions, according to Blinken. He proposed that China could have taken similar steps in response to U.S. allegations regarding Russia’s intentions to place nuclear weapons in space, a claim that Russia has labeled as “fake.”

Russia possesses the largest nuclear arsenal in the world, and its officials have consistently emphasized that the use of such weapons would be a “last resort.” Following an update to their military doctrine in November, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Moscow is firmly committed to preventing nuclear warfare. He noted that Russia’s nuclear capabilities are designed to deter aggression and avert nuclear conflict.

However, the Kremlin has consistently warned that the U.S. military expansion and the global deployment of nuclear-capable missiles could provoke a measured response. Recently, Russia and Belarus formalized a security agreement that includes plans to position Russian nuclear-capable Oreshnik hypersonic missile systems in Belarus next year. These missiles, which Moscow claims are impervious to current Western defense systems, can strike targets across Europe in a matter of minutes.