Moscow's new ability to use its nuclear arsenal against a non-nuclear state acting in concert with a nuclear power is "completely normal," Xavier Moreau, Director of Center for Political and Strategic Analysis Stratpol, told Sputnik Africa.
"This largely aligns with France's doctrine. France could use nuclear weapons against a non-nuclear country if its vital interests are at stake," he said.
The analyst suggested that Moscow might initially respond with a tactical strike against a strategic target or a "final warning"—perhaps a missile detonated over the ocean.
Moreau highlighted that the Russian president faces a "generation that has never even witnessed nuclear testing" and that European political elites are generally "completely unprepared for these strategic issues."
"So bringing the subject back to nuclear deterrence forces them to think about it and become reasonable again. I think that the problem for Putin is also the immaturity of certain Western leaders," Moreau analyzed.
Regarding Washington's authorization for Kiev to strike deep into Russian territory, he pointed out that Ukrainian forces have been doing so for some time and that "the only thing that will change is that there, it will be missiles." Indeed, "thanks to American satellite guidance, Ukraine can already strike targets up to 1000-1300 kilometers deep inside Russia," he emphasized.
"It's largely rhetoric. It might also be a way for Kiev to further entangle NATO in the war against Russia. Russia has won this war, and regardless of the outcome, it will be a humiliating defeat for NATO, unlike anything it has experienced since its founding," Moreau concluded.