President Vladimir Putin is likely to keep threatening to use nuclear weapons in Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, according to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and it’s possible that he actually will.

Austin stated in a Sunday morning CNN interview, “There are no checks on Mr. Putin. “You know, he might make another option just like he made the foolish choice to attack Ukraine. But at this time, I can’t think of anything that would convince me that he has decided to do it.

By holding ballots in favour of annexation in territories of Ukraine that Russia has captured recently and then annexing those four regions despite a global uproar against his actions, Putin increased the stakes of the war. If Ukraine seeks to retake that region, Russia can now argue that Ukraine is invading Russian territory. Putin stated on Friday that he would think about using “all available methods” to defend his country.

On “Fareed Zakaria GPS” on Sunday, Austin said: “It’s an illegal allegation. This nuclear saber-rattling is not what we would expect to hear from leaders of powerful, large countries, so it is an irresponsible remark.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, has pledged a “very strong” response to Russian annexations. He declared on Friday night, “We must liberate our whole land.”

Zelenskyy’s men, according to Austin, have battled admirably and are likely to keep making efforts to retake territory.

He said of the Ukrainian people, “I think they have amazed the world in terms of their ability to fight back, their ability to exercise initiative, and their commitment to the defence of their democracy. And that willingness to fight has rallied the international community in an effort to help provide them the security assistance so that they can continue to fight.

Austin declared that the United States will not give up on Ukraine regardless of what Putin decides to do next.

As our president declared, “We will continue to help Ukrainians for as long as it takes,” Austin remarked.