Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued another of his infamous "red lines," warning Western leaders that permitting Ukraine to use long-range missiles against Russian territory would lead to NATO entering a direct war with Russia.
Aims to Intimidate the West
However, this threat has a glaring issue: Ukraine is already deploying these weapons to target regions occupied by Russia, without provoking any significant escalation or direct NATO involvement, according to Ziare.
To date, Ukraine's allies have refrained from allowing strikes on Russian soil, but there are growing indications that Western leaders may reconsider this stance.
By raising the specter of World War III, Putin aims to intimidate the West. Yet, his weak response to Ukraine’s routine use of Western-supplied missiles to strike Crimea undermines his credibility.
Threats Appear Inconsistent
Since initiating the invasion, Putin has made multiple territorial claims, notably with the annexation of Crimea and declaring four partially occupied Ukrainian regions as part of Russia in 2022.
Despite these assertions, his threats appear inconsistent. If airstrikes on Russian territory are indeed a "red line," why has he not responded to previous attacks?
Over the past two years, Western allies have gradually increased military support for Ukraine, continuously crossing Putin's declared boundaries. From anti-tank weapons to long-range missiles and F-16 jets, Ukraine has consistently defied the Kremlin’s warnings.
