By John ErathSeptember 21 is the “International Day of Peace,” as declared by the UN in 1981. If this were all Putin had to say about a possible use of nuclear weapons, his speech would represent a dangerous escalation, but he went farther. These parts of Ukraine will be declared Russian territory in short order, with the understanding that they would then be “defended” by Russia’s nuclear arsenal. In such a scenario, Ukraine would be forced to give up Crimea and Donbas as part of a peace deal, enabled by nuclear blackmail. On the “Day of Peace,” Putin has increased the possibility of nuclear war.

Source: The Guardian September 21, 2022 23:30 UTC