WASHINGTON – In rallying global arms supplies and asking Congress for US$33 billion (RM143.7 billion) more to support Ukraine, Washington is choosing to ignore Vladimir Putin’s threats to use nuclear arms, and instead is openly testing the Russian leader’s limits.
After the United States brought 40 countries to a US base in Germany last week to discuss aid for Ukraine’s war with Russia, Putin on Wednesday threatened a “lightning fast” response if there is any direct intervention by outsiders on Kyiv’s behalf.
“We have all the tools for this, that no one else can boast of having. We won’t boast about it: we’ll use them, if needed,” Putin said.
It was a thinly veiled reference to Russia’s tactical nuclear weapons, which Russian military doctrine holds can be used to force an adversary to retreat.
Rather than pull back at that threat to unleash Moscow’s nuclear bombs, US President Joe Biden doubled down on US support for Ukraine.
The US$33 billion he requested includes US$20 billion for arms and munitions, nearly seven times the amount sent to the country since the Russians invaded on February 24.