Putin and blind war complex nuclear bluff-Paul Craig Roberts
The whole card is the ace in the hole
The neoconservatives who make Washington’s war policy regard Putin’s willingness to allow the Ukrainian government to conduct war against Russia while Russia leaves Ukraine protected from attack an indication that Russia lacks the will to really fight.
Consequently, Washington believes that it has the advantage and will continue to escalate the provocations, expecting from the Kremlin only Lavrov’s whining and Putin’s offer of energy aid to NATO Europe.
https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2022/10/14/putin-misplays-his-cards-what-could-have-been-a-winning-hand-has-become-the-road-to-armageddon/