White House says U.S. sees no reason to change nuclear alert level

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that the U.S. is not raising its nuclear alert level even as Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his country’s nuclear deterrent forces to be on alert.

“We are assessing President Putin’s directive. And at this time, we see no reason to change our own alert levels,” Ms. Psaki told reporters.

She also slammed Mr. Putin’s actions, saying the Russian president is moving down a dangerous path.

“We think provocative rhetoric like this regarding nuclear weapons is dangerous, adds to the risk of miscalculation, should be avoided, and we will not indulge in it,” Ms. Psaki said.

By raising the alert level, Russia’s nuclear weapons are prepared for increased readiness for launch. The move was in response to the sanctions imposed on Russian businesses and elites, including Mr. Putin himself, for its attack on Ukraine.

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu was ordered to put the nuclear deterrent forces in what is viewed as a “special regime of combat duty.”

Ms. Psaki said the U.S. will not respond directly to Mr. Putin’s actions, citing concerns about escalating rhetoric with Russia.

“It is important to remember — even over the course of the last several months and years — when we had significant disagreements with Russia on several issues, the United States and Russia have long agreed that nuclear use will have devastating consequences,” she said.