Putin Responds To Biden’s Missile Approval By Changing Moscow’s Nuclear Doctrine

In a clear message to the West and Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday signed a decree broadening the scope of Moscow using nuclear weapons on a non-nuclear state if it is supported by nuclear powers.

This decision comes on the 1,000th day of Russia invading Ukraine, after Joe Biden gave Ukraine permission to use its long-range missiles to strike deeper in Russian territory.

The Kremlin vowed on Tuesday to defeat Ukraine, saying Western support for Kyiv would have no impact on the conflict and that western aid “cannot affect the outcome of our operation. It continues, and will be completed.”

“The military operation against Kyiv continues,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

He also said that aggression by a non-nuclear state with the participation of a nuclear state is considered as a joint attack referring to Ukraine and its Western backers. 

NATO chief has said, “Putin must not ‘get his way’ in Ukraine.” However only a month back, he had said that he does not see an imminent danger of nuclear weapons from Russia despite “reckless and irresponsible” from the country.