The United States is preparing options to contain potential nuclear escalation by Russia or China, according to Dmitry Stefanovich, a researcher at the Center for International Security of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO).
Stefanovich pointed to ongoing discussions among American policymakers about the use of nuclear weapons on the battlefield. Washington is increasingly focusing on weapons previously classified as tactical or non-strategic nuclear arms, now described as theater nuclear weapons. These systems are being considered as tools for responding to limited nuclear attacks.
Speaking to Govorit Moskva radio, the analyst explained that American experts officially present this approach as a way to control escalation at every stage of a potential confrontation, rather than as preparation for nuclear war.
Stefanovich said US policymakers are examining hypothetical scenarios involving Russian nuclear strikes in the Baltic states or Chinese nuclear attacks in the western Pacific. Such strikes would not directly target American territory, but Washington wants the capability to deliver a limited nuclear response. According to the expert, US officials believe this would strengthen nuclear deterrence.
However, Stefanovich warned that Moscow and Beijing could interpret these plans very differently. From the perspective of countries that consider themselves potential targets, he argued, the American strategy looks less like an effort to strengthen security and more like preparation for a limited nuclear war.