Ukraine war could lead to WWIII if Ukraine joins NATO: Russia reiterates
A Russian security official has reiterated that the conflict in Ukraine could escalate into World War III, if Kiev's request for joining the US-led NATO military alliance is accepted.
Alexander Venediktov, the deputy secretary of Russia's Security Council, told the country’s TASS news agency that "Kiev is well aware that such a step would mean a guaranteed escalation to World War Three.”
In late September, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky formally applied for a fast-track NATO membership and ruled out talks with President Vladimir Putin as the war in his country entered its eighth month.
Venediktov, however, said that he felt Ukraine's application was propaganda as the West understood the consequences of Ukrainian membership of NATO.
“The suicidal nature of such a step is understood by NATO members themselves," he added.
If accepted, NATO-aligned forces would formally be drawn into the war in Ukraine.
Russia has repeatedly warned Ukraine against its NATO membership proposals, calling the move “purely destabilizing.” Moscow has also warned the alliance against its further expansion towards Russia’s borders.
Putin said formerly that the expansion of NATO’s military infrastructure into this territory would “certainly provoke our response.”
The war in Ukraine began after President Putin launched a military operation on February 24 to “demilitarize” two eastern Ukrainian regions amid Kiev's vaulting ambitions to join NATO, which Moscow deems a redline.
Before sending its armed forces into Ukraine, Moscow had been demanding legally binding guarantees that Ukraine would never be admitted into the US-led military alliance.
Venediktov also warned about the escalation of a nuclear conflict, which according to him “will affect absolutely the whole world — not only Russia and the collective West, but every country on this planet.”
"The consequences would be disastrous for all mankind,” he added.
Russia and the United States are by far the biggest nuclear powers, and control nearly 90 percent of the world's nuclear warheads.
Former US president Donald Trump also warned last week that the world "will end up in World War III and there will be nothing left of our planet," if the two sides refuse to agree on an immediate “peaceful end” to the war in Ukraine.
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