Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stark warning to the West on Monday, cautioning that a direct conflict between Russia and the U.S.-led NATO military alliance could bring the world to the brink of a third global conflict. Despite the gravity of his statement, Putin emphasized that hardly anyone wanted such a scenario.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has plunged Moscow`s relations with the West into their deepest crisis since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. While Putin has frequently highlighted the risks of nuclear war, he maintains that he has never deemed it necessary to utilize nuclear weapons in the Ukrainian conflict.
French President Emmanuel Macron`s recent suggestion of potential ground troop deployment in Ukraine has sparked debates across Western nations, with some showing reluctance while others, particularly in Eastern Europe, voiced support.
Responding to questions about Macron`s remarks and the possibility of a conflict between Russia and NATO, Putin remarked to Reuters, "everything is possible in the modern world."
He stressed the perilous implications, asserting that such a scenario would bring the world dangerously close to a full-scale World War Three, a prospect of little interest to anyone.
Putin also highlighted the presence of NATO military personnel in Ukraine, expressing concern over their involvement in the conflict and the casualties incurred. He mentioned intercepting communications in English and French among NATO forces on the battlefield, underscoring the severity of the situation.
Amid escalating tensions, Putin hinted at the possibility of creating a buffer zone within Ukrainian territory to safeguard Russia`s borders if attacks persisted. While declining to provide specifics, he suggested that such a zone might be necessary to prevent foreign-made military supplies from reaching Russian territory.
Putin`s remarks come against the backdrop of heightened international scrutiny following the recent Russian elections, which the White House criticized as neither free nor fair.
Dismissing Western criticism, Putin lambasted U.S. elections as undemocratic and denounced the use of state power against former President Donald Trump.
Addressing the fate of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died under mysterious circumstances in a Russian prison in February, Putin referred to him by name in public for one of the first times since his passing.
Putin claimed to have agreed to a prisoner swap deal days before Navalny`s death, with the condition that Navalny would not return to Russia.
Navalny`s widow, Yulia, has accused Putin of orchestrating her husband`s death, a claim refuted by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
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