Putin is not trying to provoke NATO.
Putin’s message to NATO is quite clear: let me do what I want to do in Ukraine. If you try to interfere in the military field, then you will suffer the consequences.
What are the consequences that Putin is talking about?
Those of a direct war between Russia and NATO, with the obvious risk of nuclear escalation that Putin is purposely dangling to keep the fear alive.
NATO does not want a war against Putin either. De facto, there will be no military intervention in Ukraine. Support will be indirect by providing weapons and equipment, as well as money.
This is an opposition that aims to avoid an escalation to a nuclear war, but it leaves the Ukrainian people at the mercy of the Russian army that will sooner or later take over in all likelihood.
This does not mean that Putin will have won because he will then have to face a guerrilla war that could last for years and damage Russia’s economy to the point that it cannot recover.
Putin doesn’t care and wants to go beyond that to complete his plan. The West is betting on the collapse of the Russian economy so that Putin will stop this war since money is the key to war.
We will see what happens in the future.
