On Tuesday, November 19, Vladimir Putin signed a decree redefining Russia’s nuclear doctrine. The text broadens the criteria for the use of atomic weapons. Now, a threat to Russia’s territorial integrity or that of its allies, such as Belarus, could justify a nuclear strike. Does this document, scrutinized to the nearest comma, mark a turning point?
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As the war in Ukraine bogs down, Russia is trying to dissuade the West from continuing their military support for kyiv by raising the specter of a nuclear escalation. But for many experts, this threshold remains higher than feared, despite Russian provocations. In this video, Clément Daniez, journalist in the World department of L’Express, analyzes the issues of this text.