Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, warns that a direct clash between Russia and NATO would bring the world perilously close to World War three, as reported by Reuters. His statement follows his declared landslide victory in Russia’s presidential election, securing 87.8% of the votes. However, the US, Germany, the UK, and other countries have criticized the election, citing the imprisonment of political opponents and censorship, claiming it was neither free nor fair
Putin said;
“It is clear to everyone that this will be one step away from a full-scale World War Three. I think hardly anyone is interested in this.”
French President Emmanuel Macron has previously indicated that he does not dismiss the option of sending ground troops to Ukraine. In response to inquiries regarding Macron’s remarks and the potential for conflict between Russia and NATO, Putin remarked; ” Everything is possible in the modern word”. He furthet said that NATO servicemen were already in Ukraine.
Previously, Putin declared that Russia was technically prepared for nuclear conflict. He warned that if the United States deployed troops to Ukraine, it would mark a substantial escalation of the situation.
In reaction, French President Macron cautioned Putin against issuing threats, especially given Russia’s possession of nuclear arms.
Macron revealed that he hadn’t engaged in discussion with Putin for several months, emphasizing that dialogue occurred only when deemed essential. In the United States, officials responded to Putin’s remarks by stating they hadn’t detected any indications of Russia intending to emply nuclear weapons against Ukraine.