Are we heading towards World War 3? Ukraine leader says we need to be careful
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has voiced the danger of the Ukraine conflict escalating into World War III as he presses his case for support from nations from Germany to the United States.
US President Joe Biden (R) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) to the South Lawn of the White House Washington. In his first trip out of Ukraine since the Russian invasion began, Zelensky is visiting DC to meet with President Biden and address a joint session of Congress. EPA/JIM LO SCALZO
“It seems to me that the Chancellor (Olaf Scholz) is aware of this risk,” Zelenskiy said in an interview with German state broadcaster ARD on Sunday, adding that if Russia hit a NATO country, it would be “the beginning of the Third World War”.
Asked whether he was disappointed that Germany did not plan to supply Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles, Zelenskiy said he was only disappointed Germany had not played “the role it should have played in the first occupation of Ukraine”.
Referring to the weakness of the West’s response to Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014 which was a precursor for Moscow’s invasion in February 2022, he said it was not just about the German response.
“It’s not just about Olaf Scholz,” he said.
“It concerns European leaders and the US.”
In the US, Zelenskiy said Ukraine has support from across the political divide.
“There are individual Republicans who do not support Ukraine, but the vast majority of Democrats and Republicans support Ukraine,” he said.
On whether a second term of Donald Trump in the White House would affect support for his country, he said US policy did not depend on a single person.
