Nuclear means come to front of Putin's long-war strategy

As the war pulls Russia’s economy down from stagnation to recession, Putin’s propensity to bring nuclear weapons into the political fray prevails over caution and risk calculus. Putin’s desire to cultivate personal connections with Trump had curbed this tendency for nearly three-quarters of this year, but the cancellation of the Budapest summit and the U.S. decision to impose new sanctions on Russia have triggered a new surge in nuclear brinksmanship. Past experiences should have informed Putin that the results are often counterproductive, but like every overstaying autocrat, he has lost the ability to recognize his own mistakes.