Preventing Nuclear War

The possibility of nuclear war has receded in the public consciousness since the end of the Cold War. But the war in Ukraine, nuclear threats from the Kremlin and increasing tensions in various parts of the world have made it clear that nuclear war remains an existential threat. Greater effort, especially from the nuclear-weapons states, is needed to institute better contacts, communication and crisis management. Experts have generally ignored the possibility of the limited use of nuclear weapons and how to respond to it. The general assumption that such use is highly unlikely and would automatically lead to an all-out nuclear war may not be true. Red lines can be a highly valuable tool in preventing war due to misunderstandings. In general, these should be rare, private and taken very seriously. The recent trivialisation and public discussion of red lines diminishes their value.