On February 27, deputy director of the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Matthew Kroenig was quoted in an article in the Financial Times titled “West takes Putin’s nuclear weapons threat seriously.” Kroenig explains that Putin’s heighten nuclear alert is a textbook strategy that stems from their ‘escalate to de-escalate strategy’ and they are unlikely to follow through.
The message to the west, NATO and US is, ‘Don’t get involved or we can escalate things to the highest level.’
Matthew Kroenig
Forward Defense, housed within the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, generates ideas and connects stakeholders in the defense ecosystem to promote an enduring military advantage for the United States, its allies, and partners. Our work identifies the defense strategies, capabilities, and resources the United States needs to deter and, if necessary, prevail in future conflict.