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Notes -
What do you mean "gets to?" They can decide to use a nuke or not, at which point we would have to decide how to react. And given that the Russians have agency, shouldn't it behoove us to, y'know, treat them seriously even if it means doing somewhat distasteful things? Given that question, why are people on the NATO side whipping up an anti-Russian crusade? Seems like a nation that is the target of a crusade, even if in the wrong, is more likely to do wild and unpredictable things - possibly including unwise things with nukes - than one which is being dealt with as a regional power.
By "gets to", I mean that they do it without sufficient deterrence by other powers such that the original Schelling point is broken. If that happens then all non-nuclear countries will now have significantly more incentive to get their own nukes, as they'll know they can extract significant concessions from great powers since the US just proved it works, and as a result any nation that's threatened by a potential new nuclear power now knows they have to get nukes themselves to have any chance at defense.
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