The New York Times reported that American and European officials are discussing options to deter Russia from seizing more territory in Ukraine, including providing nuclear weapons to Kiev. Western officials believe that Russia will not escalate until Donald Trump takes office in January. Following Trump’s election, the United States and its NATO allies have taken steps to supply weapons to Ukraine and give Kiev the ability to strike Russian territory with long-range weapons.

Some U.S. officials have said that the expedited delivery of weapons will have only a minimal effect on the challenges Kiev currently faces. The Biden administration is exploring several major escalation options, such as stockpiling an arsenal of conventional weapons that could deliver a merciless strike if Russia violates a ceasefire.

Some officials have even suggested that President Biden could return nuclear weapons to Ukraine that were taken after the collapse of the Soviet Union. It is thought that Russian President Vladimir Putin is unlikely to take any significant escalation steps until Trump returns to the Oval Office. Biden administration officials believe that Putin is aware that he only has two months to wait until the new administration arrives.

This assessment is based on the belief that Trump and his incoming intelligence director, Tulsi Gabbard, will take a friendlier stance toward Russia. However, during Trump’s first presidential term, he took a tough stance against Moscow by introducing sanctions, providing Ukraine with lethal weapons, and expelling a significant number of Russian diplomats from the United States.

In September, Putin said he would favor a victory for Vice President Kamala Harris in the race for the White House. “Trump has imposed more sanctions on Russia than any other president before, and if Harris does well, he may refrain from doing so,” Putin explained. Most of the American political elite consider Trump and Gabbard to be agents of Russia, and during Trump’s presidency, it was repeatedly suggested that his campaign and administration had contacts with Russian officials.

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