The Ukrainian Crisis and Strategic Stability

... particular “aggressive statements” and “illegitimate sanctions” by foreign states were not envisaged as a reason to use nuclear weapons in the Strategic Stability Concept approved by Moscow and Washington in 1990 [Joint statement... 1990]. They are also absent from Russia’s ... ... the SMO do not evidence the Kremlin’s intention to start a nuclear war—rather; they are designed to bolster deterrence of NATO’s undesirable actions. At the same time, any expert in the area knows that the line between nuclear deterrence and real ...