index. and of exercise. it is something they practice. it is something they are very comfortable with. they have never use them for real, other than in tests. so this is something, and i think it s why the biden administration, rightfully so, in my view, has had this concern on the back of their minds since the beginning of this conflict. susan glasser, the president also said here he is trying to figure out what is putin s off ramp. where does he find a way out here? where does he find himself in a position that he does not only lose face but also lose significant power within russia? that s the presidents quote. putin has backed himself into a corner. how does he get out of it? i think that is one of the words, when i hear off ramp and american officials talking about putin, because again and again and again, putin has showed over the last two decades that he is heedless, largely, of american efforts to guide him in any direction and off-ramps are not appreciated. one t
off-ramps are not appreciated. one thing is that here we are, just a few months into putin s war in ukraine and in a way, one of the consequences that we have normalized talk about nuclear war, putin s nuclear saber war war rattling his produced a response, and the president united states in which we are essentially routinely talking about what would have been unthinkable just a year ago. i think that s one problem. the other thing is, does putin feel encouraged the despite his reverses on the battlefield, his nuclear back blackmail has encouraged the united states to possibly be more open to seeking a settlement and that s one worry and one risk for president biden in talking about this. but again, we are in uncharted territory here. just a year ago, can you imagine even having this conversation? right on. not at all that we could even imagine, it but look at the