Bluffing on nukes

Putin’s bluffing on nukes (for now), says top NATO official

“We do not see any imminent threat of Russia using these weapons,” said military alliance’s deputy secretary-general.

BY STUART LAU

NATO's No. 2 official said Russian President Vladimir Putin's nuclear threat is currently just "psychological intimidation."

Putin issued the warning Thursday as French President Emmanuel Macron stood by his message that the West could not rule out sending troops to help Ukraine fend off Putin's full-scale invasion. "This really threatens a conflict with nuclear weapons," Putin said.

NATO Deputy Secretary-General Mircea Geoană characterized Putin's nuclear saber-rattling as "a discourse that delves into the logic of psychological intimidation rather than real intentions," in an interview with Spanish newspaper El País published Friday.

He added, "We do not see any imminent threat of Russia using these weapons. But these statements are in themselves very dangerous, because they erode trust. Russia knows the consequences of taking such a step."

Geoană, who could step down later this year to run in the Romanian presidential election in September, also said NATO would "continue to make sure that we support Ukraine and avoid escalation with Russia."

On Macron's boots-on-the-ground proposal, he said: "We fully respect the right of our allies to bring new ideas to the table. But we at NATO have no intention or plans to deploy troops to Ukraine."

Geoană expressed hope that the alliance would remain strong even if NATO-skeptic Donald Trump wins the U.S. presidency this November. "Both Republicans and Democrats understand all too well the very complicated competition with China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. The U.S. will need all its allies in Europe and the rest of the world," said Geoană.