The United States was reportedly formulating a "non-nuclear" response in anticipation of the potential use of nuclear weapons by the Russian Federation in Ukraine, according to The New York Times.

The White House purportedly considered that any response to such a threat should be non-nuclear in nature, though it emphasized the need for a "dramatic response," possibly even including a conventional attack on units responsible for launching nuclear weapons.

The NYT also mentioned concerns within some circles that public warnings from Russia suggesting that Ukraine might be preparing to deploy a "dirty bomb" were merely a pretext for a preemptive nuclear strike.

In mid-November 2022, CIA Director William Burns reportedly met with Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, during which Burns conveyed that "there will be clear consequences for Russia."

Naryshkin purportedly assured Burns that he understood the gravity of the situation and asserted that Putin had no intention of resorting to the use of nuclear weapons.