During the opening session of an annual NATO arms control conference held in North America, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman warned that the U.S. and its

NATO allies should be vigilant for indications that Russian President Vladimir Putin may use a tactical nuclear weapon in a "managed" escalation of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. She emphasized that it is critical to remain watchful of this potential threat. Putin's recent announcement that Russia is preparing to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus is viewed as a calculated move to use this threat in a managed way.

Tactical nuclear weapons are primarily intended for use in achieving battlefield gains or against specific military targets. While Putin denies any intention to employ nuclear weapons in Ukraine, his forces have been engaged in intense fighting in the region for several months. Belarus, which shares a border with Ukraine and several NATO member countries, including Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia, provided a staging ground for part of the Russian force that invaded Ukraine in February 2022 in a failed attempt to overrun the country.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg joined Sherman in opening the conference and called Putin's plan to place tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus part of a years-long pattern of "dangerous, irresponsible nuclear rhetoric" that intensified with "the brutalization of Ukraine." He emphasized that the alliance is closely monitoring Russia's actions.

The United States will continue to downgrade intelligence for sharing with NATO's other 30 members, according to Sherman, "so that everyone knows...where we stand." The conference marked the first time since its inception in 2004 that it was held in North America. Photo by DOD photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jerry Morrison, Wikimedia commons.