But the absolute red line for Nato and the West is if Russia threatens a Nato member state. The use of any of these tools, especially if they show some success on the ground, could lead to a confrontation between Moscow and Washington. Biden dedicated $800 million in new military support for Ukraine on Wednesday, including. World War III Begins With Forgetting. Dec. 2, 2022. The North Korea front has gone quiet over the last couple of years, as the DPRK has struggled too much with the covid pandemic to bother making much trouble internationally. 2023 BBC. Concerns over the ability of Ukraine to continue the war in the long-term might force Kyiv to take risky steps of its own to break the stalemate. Winston Churchill, Harry Truman, and Joseph Stalin. By Kaisha Langton 09:12, Wed, Sep 1, 2021 | UPDATED: 09:12, Wed, Sep 1, 2021 If a real war against us starts developing, those who have such plans must have a think, and I believe such plans are being carried out, he said. Worry about the immediacy of war between Taiwan and China has waned a bit in the past months, in large part because of China's catastrophic covid experience. Direct Russian military action would put immense pressure on the United States to respond in some fashion. It is not a failed state but it faces enormous economic, social, and political problems. Although the U.S. and NATO want to avoid direct conflict with Russia, Russian aggression and public outrage in Western countries might produce a clash. This hasnt stopped geopolitics in its tracks, but it certainly has redirected the priorities of global leaders. As long as there is no direct conflict between Russia and Nato then there is no reason for this crisis, bad as it is, to descend into a full-scale world war. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. But Lavrov also indicated that Russia would be prepared to retaliate to any signs of aggression, warning Western governments to stand back. Similarly, if Iran comes to believe an attack is inevitable, it could pre-empt with all the tools it has available. Along with World War I, World War II was one of the great watersheds of 20th-century geopolitical history. Putin has been relatively isolated throughout his Ukraine campaign. If negotiations fail to bring Iran into some kind of a deal, the threat of military action lurks in the background. Now we have the most difficult stage in the relationship between our countries, Zelenskyy said. While it seems unlikely that a NATO ally would openly attack another NATO ally, past conflicts have brought the two countries up to the brink of war (and sometimes slightly beyond) notwithstanding their alliance commitments. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Here are five flashpoints with the highest potential for erupting into World War III. Tensions between China andIndiahave mellowed over the past year, but we should not forget that the border between the two countries witnessed lethal confrontations over the past two years. Updated: 9:55 ET, Nov 16 2022 AFTER two world wars in the twentieth century, it is hoped a third will never take place. NATO PREPARES DRAFT FOR WORLD WAR 3. As long as Russia's potential invasion force remains massed on the borders then even the bustling Ukrainian capital Kyiv, and other cities, will not be safe from attack. Any fight between Turkey and Greece would immediately involve NATO, and would almost certainly result in some degree of opportunistic intervention by Russia. For media inquiries, please contact media@northeastern.edu. By. . hide caption. 5 places World War III could start in 2023 Robert Farley , 19fortyfive A Ukrainian soldier checks a wrecked Russian tank outside a village east of Kharkiv in April 2022. If the conflict grows, western governments may be more inclined to respond directly, but that appears to be a long way off, according to DAnieri. But it is not difficult to envision renewed skirmishes that then draw in other problematic aspects of their relationship. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? Northeastern experts, students warn there may be hidden costs to fast fashion, Northeastern grads now making multimillion-dollar real estate acquisitions after starting company at dining hall, Eli Lillys 70% price drop on insulin is the tip of the iceberg in fight to lower drug costs, Northeastern expert says. The pandemic isn't over, but it is becoming part of the background noise of international politics, and great powers are recalibrating and reasserting their interests. "We're trying everything we can to make sure it doesn't lead to World War III," Kristina Kvien told NPR on Monday. [1] [World War III]. By Stephen Wertheim. Stephen Flynn, founding director of the Global Resilience Institute at Northeastern. A war could begin in several different ways. Russia has publicly argued that it wants to resolve the issues ofUkraineand of Russias relationship withNATOon a permanent basis. "Revenge" could take the form of cyber attacks - something the National Cyber Security Centre has already warned about. The Frenchman, who has accurately predicted some major world events during the 16th century, believed that the current conflict in Eastern Europe could spark a "great war". The outcome of Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine has yet to be decided, but it's possible the decision has set off a path to a full-scale global war, Zelenskyy told NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt when asked whether he understood concerns from President Joe Biden about not escalating tensions with or provoking Moscow. But what happens now? We have been remarkably lucky so far. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University. atomic bombing of Hiroshima. 1314. Speaking at the U.N. conference on disarmament, Russian Deputy . Justin Metz. "Here are some helpful resources to make sense of it all. Firefighters work to extinguish a fire in an apartment building in Kyiv on Tuesday. They are watching very attentively to the response to such a treacherous invasion., When asked whether he believed the U.S. would become more involved if Russia crossed a red line with chemical weapons, Zelesnkyy said that he believed Russia has already crossed all the red lines., If theyre launching intentionally those missiles against kindergartens, against schools, universities, now, that is a cross of every single line, he said. Japan, South Korea, and the United States have similarly been happy to let sleeping dogs lie, focusing on bigger international and domestic problems rather than trying to cut through the apparently intractable Korean situation. The Finnish border was one of the few entry points for Russians after many Western countries . Iran has warned of "severe revenge" after the assassination of Major General Qassem Soleimani and carried out missile strikes against US positions in Iraq. Here are the five most dangerous flashpoints for the eruption of World War III, in descending order of peril: Easily the most likely flashpoint for great power war in 2022 lies along the border between Russia and Ukraine. Sporadic fighting between China and India continues on the Roof of the World. We shouldnt expect great power war in 2022, but we should always be aware of the potential for things to get out of hand. 3:25 p.m. Northeasterns partnership with a historically Black university in Charlotte aims to fix that. If there are accidental or purposeful Russian strikes into NATO territory, it would trigger Article 5 of the Western treaty, which would necessarily provoke a military response from the U.S., Cross says. Watch: Ukrainian Marta Yuzkiv is preparing to defend her country but says she doesn't want war. We shouldn't expect great power war in 2022, but we should always be aware of the potential for things to get out of hand. Doha Madani is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. from PrayingMedic: Q NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2022 VIDEO: The Phaser | September 26, 2022 The use of any of these tools, especially if they show some success on the ground, could lead to a confrontation between Moscow and Washington. The next few weeks will tell. A car burns at the side of the damaged by shelling maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022. Iran has stepped up its nuclear efforts while improving the sophistication of itsmissile forcesand increasing its covert activities across the region. Only President Putin and his trusted inner circle know how deep into Ukraine he intends to send his troops. The Olympics lineup of esports games for its first major competition makes no sense, Northeastern esports director says, Social justice icon Angela Davis addresses her legacy and how change happens with captive Mills College at Northeastern audience, Recreational fishermen could be untapped allies in the fight against climate change, Northeastern research says, That sense of togetherness is what is needed. Northeastern entrepreneur from Ghana builds his restaurant business on African hospitality, Photos: Spring season, Squashbusters and sewing, Northeastern expert explains at Munich Security Conference how governments can counteract terrorists use of social media, One year later, Northeastern experts say no end in sight for Russias war on Ukraine, During Black History Month, Black history is under attack, Northeastern experts say, For his leadership on COVID-19, Alessandro Vespignani receives lifetime honor from American Association for the Advancement of Science, Northeastern researcher helps convert astronauts wastewater into alternative fuel for use in outer space, Its notoriously difficult to treat. Northeastern scientists developing a better treatment for pancreatic cancer, Chaucer left portions of The Canterbury Tales unfinished. There are some places now where NATO and Russia share a border, but theyre relatively limited, DAnieri said. Six months after Russia's invasion into Ukraine, conflicts of interest in Eastern Europe and the East China Sea have set the table for the first serious great-power conflict in decades. After receiving a green light from Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his war in Ukraine in an effort to reclaim the old Russian empire. More than 1.5 million people have left Ukraine since the invasion began most coming into Poland in what the United Nations has called the fastest exodus of refugees since World War II. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Ukraine and Russia held a third round of talks on Monday, as Russia has announced a partial cease-fire in some Ukrainian cities. Its possible, Cross says, that U.S. and NATO involvement would remain conventional, meaning it would involve the deployment of air and ground forcestanks, artillery, military helicopters, and fighter jetsto beat back Russias forces. An elderly woman walks on a street in Raihorodok, Ukraine, on Sept. 26, 2022. How worried you should be still depends on a number of factors - like who you are, where you are, and what Russia does next. What else should we wait for? Zelenskyy showed congressional leaders graphic video of the situation, which included Ukrainian children crying and dead bodies being tossed into a mass grave. A rescue worker comforts an evacuated resident outside a burning apartment building in Kyiv on Tuesday. This article originally appeared on 19fortyfive.com. ", The acting U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Kristina Kvien, left Ukraine last month when the invasion began and is now just over the border in Poland. A senior Russian diplomat warned that increasing Western support for Ukraine could trigger an open conflict between nuclear powers. Referencing aid to Ukraine and sanctions on Russia, the Biden administration has warned of "world war" multiple times when asked further actions . "My understanding of their initial plan was to take Ukraine in 10 days, and they have only taken one significant city. But, he added, if Russia successfully takes Ukraine, youd be back to a situation where you had a very long border between Russian-controlled territory and NATO.. ". A Northeastern grad and entrepreneur thinks so, Is Temu legit? And so Russia is feeling the heat here. Sept. 29, 2022, at 1:04 p.m. Survey: Fears of WWIII Are Growing. In any eventuality, escalation would be difficult for either side to manage, and a fight over access to Taiwan could quickly degenerate into ageneral war. The old Cold War maxim of "MAD" - Mutually Assured Destruction - still applies. Because let's face it, that is what a lot of people are understandably asking and thinking in the light of the Kremlin's recent actions over Ukraine - actions and statements that have triggered a deluge of denouncements and sanctions from the West. ", "The Ukrainians are fighting, they're fighting hard and they're fighting with love of country, and patriotism," she added. Tensions between China and India have mellowed over the past year, but we should not forget that the border between the two countries witnessed lethal confrontations over the past two years. At the same time, these statements (and unwise stunts such as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei) run the risk of triggering Chinese escalation. And that is a dangerous backdrop against which to have a blazing public row over who is to blame for the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. Disputes between Athens and Ankara over energy exploration in the Aegean have driven the current tension, although the territorial disagreement underlying the argument have existed for decades. If China comes to understand renewed tension along the border as part of a general encirclement strategy rather than as a bilateral problem with India, it might become more willing to take serious risks to resolve the situation. Mr. Wertheim is a scholar and writer on U.S. foreign policy. China could launch a bolt from the blue attack designed to catch US and Taiwanese forces unawares.