A senior US administration official has stated that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been a strategic failure, but the fact that Russia is a nuclear power means that caution must be exercised. President Putin's recent proposal to deploy tactical air-launched nuclear weapons to Belarus only underscores the potential dangers.

Despite the alarming nuclear threats by Moscow, NATO has become more confident. In response to the Russian aggression in Ukraine over the past 13 months, the weapons supplied by the United States and NATO allies to Ukraine have grown in sophistication and capability.

The situation in Ukraine remains tense, with the risk of the conflict escalating into a regional conflict or a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO always present. President Biden's policy throughout has been driven by the need to avoid such a scenario.