Vladimir Putin has expressed concerns about the potential for a major conflict between Moscow and NATO, warning of the possibility of a "full-scale
Third World War." His comments came after he claimed victory in an election that was widely criticized in the West for lacking in freedom and fairness.
Following the Kremlin's announcement that he had won nearly 88 percent of the vote, Putin addressed a press conference where he took aim at those he accused of attempting to intimidate Russia.
He stated that such efforts "have not worked now and will not work in the future. Never."
During the press conference, Putin was asked about the possibility of a conflict between Russia and the West.
He responded, "I think that everything is possible in the modern world. But I have already said, and it is clear to everyone, that it will be one step away from a full-scale third world war.
I think hardly anyone is interested in this." Newsweek has reached out to NATO for comment.
The Kremlin organized the tightly controlled election to secure support for Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, where voting also took place in Russian-occupied territories.
However, Western leaders have raised concerns that Putin may have broader ambitions beyond Ukraine. Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer, chair of the NATO military committee, warned on January 19 that members needed to prepare for a potential conflict with Russia in the next 20 years.
Similar warnings have been issued by the commanders-in-chief of the armies and defense ministers of NATO members such as the U.K., Denmark, and Poland.
Randall Stone, a politics professor at the University of Rochester in New York state, suggested, "If he succeeds in Ukraine, he will probably seek to challenge U.S. NATO allies, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, whose NATO membership he has always seen as a threat to Russia. He may even seek to dominate Poland, which he describes as a historical antagonist of Russia."
The conflict in Ukraine has led Russia to shift its strategy and economic ties away from the West and towards China, Iran, and India. Stone believes that Putin will become more hostile towards the West in the future.
The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has indicated that Putin is preparing for a large-scale conflict with NATO in the long term. Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden warned in December that Putin would target NATO after Ukraine, a claim that the Russian leader has dismissed as "nonsense."