Putin doesn't fight against NATO or US, as he realizes that he will lose this battle - international relations expert Robert Person

Robert Person notes that Russian leader Vladimir Putin has a long history of making aggressive threats against Ukraine, the West and NATO. 

“We cannot completely dismiss these threats, as they may also be the subject of his blackmail. We have to recognize that his behavior shows that he tends to speak more about retaliation than action. He is indeed taking revenge on the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian Armed Forces. But he is not taking direct action. He is certainly not fighting militarily against NATO or the United States, because he realizes that he will lose this battle,” Person emphasized. 

At the same time, the associate professor doesn't think that Putin can push the nuclear button to retaliate: “He can threaten, but should he push it? I think he even knows that this will be the end of his rule and regime in Russia.”