Former Russian leader says NATO aid to Ukraine brings World War 3 closer

Commenting on the first day of the NATO summit in Lithuania, where several countries pledged to provide more weapons and finance to the Kyiv government, Medvedev said the aid effort would not prevent Russia from achieving its goals in Ukraine.

"The West is completely crazy and cannot think of anything else... In fact, it is a dead end. World War 3 is approaching," Medvedev, who is currently deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, wrote on his Telegram channel on the evening of July 11, according to Reuters.

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"What does all this mean for us? Everything is clear. The special military operation will continue with the same objectives," he said.

Mr Medvedev, who was Russia’s president from 2008 to 2012 and prime minister from 2012 to 2020, is a fiercely anti-Western voice in Moscow, and diplomats say his views reflect the thinking of the highest levels of the Kremlin elite.

Cựu lãnh đạo Nga nói viện trợ của NATO cho Ukraine khiến Thế chiến 3 gần hơn - Ảnh 1. — Dmitry Medvedev chairs a meeting in Moscow on July 4.

On July 11, Mr Medvedev also voiced support for the use of "inhumane weapons" such as cluster munitions following what he said were reports of their use in Ukraine. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the same day that Moscow would be forced to use "similar" weapons if the US supplied cluster munitions to Ukraine.

The administration of US President Joe Biden announced that it would provide Kyiv with cluster munitions, a weapon that can cause high civilian casualties and has been banned by many countries, including Washington's closest allies.

Russia and Ukraine have both accused each other of using cluster munitions in the war that has now lasted more than 500 days.

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Regarding the NATO summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 11 expressed disappointment that the alliance did not provide a roadmap for Kyiv's admission, telling supporters in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius: "Is this too much to ask for?"

"NATO will make Ukraine safer, Ukraine will make NATO stronger," he told a crowd of thousands, many waving Ukrainian flags, gathered in central Vilnius.

In a joint statement on July 11, NATO leaders reiterated their 2008 declaration that Ukraine would join NATO, but also made it clear that this would not happen automatically after the end of hostilities. "We will extend an invitation to Ukraine to join the alliance when the allies agree and the conditions are met," the statement said.

On the second day of the NATO conference in Vilnius (July 12), Mr. Zelensky is expected to join NATO leaders in attending the first meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, a body established to upgrade relations between Kyiv and the transatlantic military alliance, which currently consists of 31 members.

He will also meet privately with President Biden in an effort to seek more weapons and ammunition from the US and other NATO nations.

What happens when Ukraine joins NATO?

The US, UK, France and Germany are expected to assure Kyiv of long-term security support in the form of advanced weapons, training and other military aid, possibly soon after the summit ends, according to officials.

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