Topic: Tactical Nuclear Weapons

Dmitry Medvedev warned that Russia views long-range weapons passed to Ukraine as being controlled by NATO personnel, making NATO countries active participants in the war. He suggested Russia could use tactical nuclear weapons, stating it is "not a nuclear bluff." The hosts discuss how Russia already considers strikes on Crimea or the Donbas as attacks on Russian soil.

Germany has deployed two warships to the Indo-Pacific region to protect freedom of navigation amid rising tensions between China and Taiwan. In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin marked VE Day with a military parade, vowing that Russia will not allow threats to its sovereignty. Putin also defended upcoming exercises involving tactical nuclear weapons as a standard military procedure.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has offered to host Russian tactical nuclear weapons as a deterrent against NATO and international pressure. While Lukashenko does not possess his own nuclear arsenal, the move aligns Belarus more closely with the Kremlin's strategic objectives. The deployment of low-yield weapons is seen as a significant escalation in regional tensions.

Former CIA Director David Petraeus appears on TRT World to discuss potential U.S. responses if Russia utilizes tactical nuclear weapons. Petraeus suggests a U.S.-led multinational conventional force could destroy Russian assets in Ukraine and the Black Sea fleet without resorting to a nuclear exchange. He emphasizes that such a response would be "catastrophic" for the Russian military.

President Joe Biden issued a warning during a private fundraiser in Maryland, stating that the world faces the highest risk of nuclear "Armageddon" since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Biden questioned Russian President Vladimir Putin's endgame in Ukraine following significant military setbacks. While the White House clarified there is no immediate intelligence of a Russian nuclear deployment, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Representative Mike McCaul called for international warnings against Russian escalation.

Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Russia's Chechen Republic, suggests that Moscow should consider using low-yield nuclear weapons following the retreat from Liman. The hosts discuss whether this is genuine military strategy or irresponsible rhetoric intended to hype up the conflict.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand repeatedly referred to "tactile" nuclear weapons during a discussion on defense policy. The hosts point out that she likely meant "tactical" weapons, mocking her for the linguistic error while she argued against the development of low-yield armaments.