Putin warns the West that a Russia-NATO clash is just a step away from World War 3 after his resounding victory

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin forewarned the West that a direct confrontation between his country and the US-led NATO military alliance would bring the world one step closer to a third World War, but he also claimed that very few people desired such a situation.

The conflict in Ukraine has led to the most severe crisis in Moscow’s ties with the West since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.

Although Putin claims he has never felt the need to deploy nuclear weapons in Ukraine, he has often warned of the dangers of nuclear war.

Following his statement last month that he could not rule out the possibility of sending foot troops to Ukraine in the future, several Western nations distanced themselves from the idea, while others, particularly those in eastern Europe, voiced support.

When questioned by Reuters about the statements made by Macron, the dangers and potential for a confrontation between Russia and NATO, Putin joked, saying, “Anything is possible in the modern world.”

“Everyone can see that we are only a few steps away from a full-scale World War Three. After winning the largest landslide in post-Soviet Russian history, Putin told reporters, “I think hardly anyone is interested in this.”

Putin clarified, however, that NATO forces were already in Ukraine and that Russia had heard both French and English being spoken in the combat zone.

He said, “First and foremost, for them, there is nothing good in this, because they are dying there and in large numbers.”

Zone of Buffer

Ukraine intensified its assaults on Russia ahead of the March 15–17 election in Russia. It shelled border areas and even attempted to breach Russia’s borders via proxies.

Putin said that if the assaults persisted, Russia would establish a buffer zone out of more Ukrainian land to safeguard Russian territory when asked whether he thought it was necessary to invade the Kharkiv area of Ukraine.

“I don’t rule out the possibility that, in light of the sad events of today, we will eventually be obliged, when the time is right, to establish a specific’sanitary zone’ in the areas currently governed by the Kyiv regime,” Putin said.

He stated that such a zone could need to be large enough to prevent foreign-made weapons from entering Russian territory, but he refused to provide any more information.

After eight years of fighting between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian Ukrainians and Russian proxies in eastern Ukraine, Putin launched a full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022, sparking a massive European war.

Putin expressed his desire that Macron will contribute to bringing about peace rather than further escalate the conflict in Ukraine, saying, “It appears that France could play a role.” Nothing is lost just yet.

“I’ll say it again, as I have been repeating it repeatedly. Not merely because the adversary is low on ammunition, we support peace negotiations,” Putin said.

“If they really, truly want to establish peaceful, amicable relations between the two states in the long run, and not just take a one- to two-year pause for rearmament.”

American Democracy

Putin rejected criticism from the US and the West over the election, claiming that US elections were not democratic and criticizing the use of state force against Donald Trump. The White House said that the election was not free and fair.

Putin said of the US, “The whole world is laughing at what is happening there.” “What on earth is it? It’s a catastrophe, not democracy.”

Putin used opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s name for the first time in public while responding to a question on the mysterious death of the leader of the opposition on February 16 in a Russian jail in the Arctic.

Putin said that he had decided to switch Navalny a few days before to his death. Shortly before Navalny passed away, a prisoner swap agreement was reached, according to a February Reuters story.

Regarding his acceptance of the prisoner exchange, Putin said, “I said: ‘I am agreed’.” “I only asked that we swap him out, but he never comes back.”

Yulia, the widow of Navalny, has charged Putin with her husband’s murder. Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for the Kremlin, said reporters that it was untrue.