Sinica Podcast

Nuclear Weapons, Ukraine, and Great-Power Competition

Aug 12, 2025
Mariana Budjeryn, a Harvard researcher and author, discusses Ukraine's disarmament history and the implications of nuclear threats in the ongoing conflict with Russia. Nickolas Roth shares insights on nuclear security and the need for better arms control amidst escalating global risks. Lily Wojtowicz delves into the challenges of deterrence credibility in great-power rivalries, while Pan Yanliang examines the intricacies of China’s nuclear stance. Together, they explore the urgent need for strategic stability and international cooperation in an increasingly volatile world.
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INSIGHT

Nuclear Signaling Expands Global Risks

  • Russia's nuclear signaling since 2022 aims to constrain Western decision-making and narrow room for miscalculation.
  • The invasion has blurred nuclear safety, arms control, and energy risks into a single, unstable global picture.
INSIGHT

Russia Deliberately Weaponizes Nuclear Rhetoric

  • Mariana Budjeryn argues Russia chose to weaponize nuclear rhetoric to coerce Western policy and intimidate Ukrainians.
  • That behavior undermines global norms and damages perceptions of nonproliferation bargains like the Budapest Memorandum.
ADVICE

Prioritize Strategy Over Tech In Missile Defense

  • Recenter debates about missile defense on strategic wisdom, not just technical feasibility.
  • Pursue treaty-based limits or at least politically binding constraints to preserve crisis stability.
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