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Ukraine joining NATO means World War III, says Russian official

“A nuclear conflict will affect absolutely the whole world — not only Russia and the collective West, but every country on this planet,” warns Russian official.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

Some two weeks after Ukrainian president Volodomyr Zelensky announced that he had submitted a fast-track application to join NATO, a Russian official warned that Ukraine joining the Western-aligned military pact would exacerbate the conflict and potentially thrust the international community into a world war.

“Kyiv is well aware that such a step would mean a guaranteed escalation to World War Three,” Russian state-owned news agency TASS quoted Alexander Venediktov, the deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council, as saying.

According to a Reuters report, Venediktov added that Ukraine’s application to join NATO was essentially “propaganda,” as Western powers understand the implications should the embattled eastern European nation be admitted.

“Apparently, that’s what they are counting on – to create informational noise and draw attention to themselves once again.

“The suicidal nature of such a step is understood by NATO members themselves,” he said.

Notably, a number of NATO officials have downplayed the likelihood of Ukraine being accepted into the pact. In order for a country to be admitted to NATO, there must be a unanimous consensus from the 30 nations that are currently members.

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Zelensky’s announcement that he had applied to join NATO was met with silence by the majority of member states.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan issued a laconic statement, saying that Ukraine’s potential membership in NATO “should be taken up at a different time.”

Venediktov also referenced recent remarks made by Zelensky in which he had called for NATO powers to launch “preemptive strikes” on Russia’s nuclear warheads.

Zelensky’s comments triggered a stern statement from Russian president Vladimir Putin, who said that he would use nuclear weapons should NATO launch an offensive against his country.

Although Zelensky later walked back his remarks, claiming that the preemptive strikes should be economic in nature, rather than involving military force, Moscow warned against Western powers entertaining the idea of attacking Russia.

“We must remember: a nuclear conflict will affect absolutely the whole world — not only Russia and the collective West, but every country on this planet,” Venediktov said. “The consequences would be disastrous for all mankind.”