Are Putin’s ‘Red Lines’ Real Threats or Hollow Bluffs?

DEEP DIVE — Does Vladimir Putin have actual “red lines” for the West when it comes to the war in Ukraine? And if so, what will he do if they are crossed? These are crucial questions for Ukraine and its supporters, and a growing chorus of policymakers and analysts believe the West has been getting the answers wrong. 

Since the early days of the war, Putin has brandished the threat of using Russia’s nuclear weapons should the West “interfere” with his “special military operation” in Ukraine. Time and again, the West has either delayed shipment of weapons or imposed restrictions on their use because of  fears that doing otherwise would cross a Kremlin red line, and lead to a dangerous escalation.