The former president of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, has delivered a chilly message to the world, calling two world leaders “dumb” for suggesting that peacekeeping efforts will be made in Ukraine by NATO – a move that will trigger World War III.
As the war in Ukraine rages on three years after Russia’s invasion, Western leaders are scrambling for new strategies.
Recently, France’s President Emmanuel Macron and UK’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer proposed creating a “coalition of the willing,” a plan that Reuters explains “reaffirms its commitment both to helping Ukraine resist Russia’s three-year-old invasion and to securing any ceasefire that emerges from [Donald] Trump’s overtures to Russia.”
“We agreed we will keep increasing the pressure on Russia, keep the military aid flowing to Ukraine, and keep tightening restrictions on Russia’s economy to weaken Putin’s war machine and bring him to the table,” Starmer said. He added that “militaries” are meeting March 20 “in the United Kingdom to put strong and robust plans in place to swing in behind a peace deal and guarantee Ukraine’s future security.
So far about 24 leaders are involved, including those from Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Australia, as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO’s secretary general – but not the U.S.
The plan could see as many as 10,000 soldiers deployed to Ukraine from NATO and EU countries. This would also include naval support in the form of ‘minehunters’ – specialized vessels used to detect and destroy naval mines.
Trump as peacekeeper
However, this idea has sparked major concerns, especially in Moscow.
NATO, originally established in 1949 to counter threats, has been a constant thorn in Russia’s side.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has made it clear that any NATO presence in Ukraine would be seen as a direct provocation.
“We can’t allow President Putin to play games with President Trump’s deal,” Sir Starmer said in a statement ahead of a virtual meeting with world leaders involved in the “coalition of the willing,” according to Sky News.
Calling Putin’s attacks on Ukraine “barbaric,” the PM continued, “The Kremlin’s complete disregard for President Trump’s ceasefire proposal only serves to demonstrate that Putin is not serious about peace.”
Trump has been vocal about his plans to negotiate a settlement between Ukraine and Russia, and on March 14, he claimed there was a “very good chance” the war could come to an end after his envoy met with Putin in Moscow.
“We could do things very bad for Russia,” Trump told reporters. “Would be devastating for Russia. But I don’t want to do that because I want to see peace.”
‘Scumbags’
With the possibility of escalation looming, Dmitry Medvedev – the deputy chair of the Russian Security Council and former Russian president – didn’t hold back on social media, branding Starmer and Macron as “dumb,” accusing them of dragging the world toward a catastrophic conflict.
His latest remarks come as NATO allies discuss a possible military deployment in Ukraine, an idea that has drawn sharp criticism from the Kremlin.
Medvedev wasted no time in condemning the move, warning that such military aid to Ukraine would be tantamount to war with NATO.
His tweet left no room for ambiguity, as he accused Macron and Starmer of recklessly pushing toward open conflict: “Macron and Starmer are playing dumb. Time and again they are told that peacekeepers must be from non-NATO states.”
The scathing attack on the two world leaders continues, “No, we will send tens of thousands – just lay it out – you want to give military aid to the neo-Nazis in Kiev. That means war with NATO. Consult with Trump, scumbags.”
With such strong words from a high-ranking Russian official, the stakes are undeniably high.
WWW III?
With NATO inching closer to involvement in Ukraine and Russia growing increasingly hostile, the risk of a wider conflict is undeniable. Putin has repeatedly hinted at the possibility of using nuclear weapons if NATO forces officially enter the war.
If NATO proceeds with troop deployment, would Russia retaliate? That’s the question on everyone’s mind.
As things stand, tensions between Russia and the West show no signs of easing. Medvedev’s latest outburst only adds fuel to the fire, and with Trump attempting to broker peace, the geopolitical landscape remains highly unpredictable.
For now, the world can only watch and hope that diplomacy prevails before it’s too late.
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