Kathrine Frich
Armed conflicts are flaring across several regions.
From Eastern Europe to the Middle East and beyond. Major powers are backing opposing sides, trading accusations and military support.
With so many flashpoints active at once, some observers say the global climate already resembles a world war in slow motion. But officially, the world is not there yet.
Against this tense backdrop, a senior Russian official has issued a stark warning about how quickly that line could be crossed.
Stark warning
Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, was asked by Russian state news agency TASS whether World War III had already begun.
“Formally, no,” he replied. “But if Trump continues his insane course of criminal regime change, it will undoubtedly begin.”
Medvedev was referring to US President Donald Trump and his current foreign policy approach, particularly regarding Iran.
Trigger factors
In his remarks, Medvedev argued that the international situation is so fragile that almost any development could spark a much wider confrontation.
“And any event can become a triggering factor. Anything,” he said, suggesting that escalation could come unexpectedly.
According to TASS, he stressed that continued pursuit of regime change by Washington would make a large-scale conflict unavoidable.
Medvedev, who previously served as Russia’s president and prime minister, has become known for forceful rhetoric in recent years.
Sources: TASS; Digi24.
