Is Russia Bluffing?

<p>If Russia invades Ukraine, it would be the largest and potentially deadliest military action in Europe since World War II.</p><p>So why is there so much division between the U.S. and its European allies over how seriously to take the threat?</p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/anton-troianovski">Anton Troianovski</a>, the Moscow bureau chief for The New York Times.</p><p>Have you lost a loved one during the pandemic? The Daily is working on a special episode memorializing those we have lost to the coronavirus. If you would like to share their name on the episode, please RECORD A VOICE MEMO and send it to us at <a href="mailto:thedaily@nytimes.com">thedaily@nytimes.com</a>. You can find more information and<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/03/podcasts/daily-memorial-covid.html"> specific instructions here</a>.</p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/05/us/politics/russia-ukraine-invasion.html">Biden administration officials told</a> lawmakers that a large-scale Russian invasion could kill as many as 50,000 civilians and prompt a refugee crisis in Europe.</li><li>U.S. and European leaders say that they are “absolutely united.”<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/02/07/world/russia-ukraine-news"> But are they</a>?</li></ul><p>Want more from The Daily? For one big idea on the news each week from our team, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/the-daily?module=inline">subscribe to our newsletter</a>. </p><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily">nytimes.com/thedaily</a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p>