By Olivier Acuña Barba •
Revealed: 28 Could 2025 • 22:51
• 2 minutes learn
Dmitry Medvedev’s WWIII risk was criticised as reckless by US Particular Envoy to Ukraine | Credit: Dmytro Larin/Shutterstock
Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian President and present high safety official, threatened “World Warfare III” after Donald Trump criticised his counterpart, Vladimir Putin, for his actions in Ukraine and telling him he was “enjoying with fireplace”.
The US responded to Medvedev’s threats, branding the often-inflammatory Russian official as reckless, because the disagreement between the 2 international powers continues to escalate.
Nonetheless, Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov proposed persevering with the Could sixteenth talks in Istanbul on June 2nd, once more within the Turkish capital. UK information outlet The Unbiased mentioned the most recent verbal back-and-forth started over the weekend when Trump referred to as Putin “loopy” for ordering the biggest mixed aerial assault on Ukraine with 350 missiles and drones. Trump then doubled down and mentioned that what his Russian counterpart “doesn’t realise is that if it weren’t for me, a number of actually dangerous issues would have already occurred to Russia, and I imply REALLY BAD. He’s enjoying with fireplace.”
‘I hope Trump understands this’
Medvedev, who served as Russian president from 2008 to 2012 and is now a high safety official, responded to Trump’s Fact Social submit with a submit on X, saying, “I solely know of 1 REALLY BAD factor — WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!”
Trump’s particular envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, then weighed in through a submit on X.
“Stoking fears of WWIII is an unlucky, reckless remark by @MedvedevRussiaE and unfitting of a world energy,” Kellogg mentioned. “President Trump @POTUS is working to cease this struggle and finish the killing. We await receipt of the RU Memorandum (Time period Sheet) that you simply promised per week in the past. Stop fireplace now.”
Only a day earlier, after Trump’s preliminary feedback about Putin turning into “loopy”, Lavrov advised the US chief was “a person who desires outcomes” however who had “bought emotional”.
‘Completely reckless actions’
“President Trump is a person who desires outcomes,” Lavrov mentioned at a press convention along with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan. “He sees among the Europeans are working to sabotage his efforts [on a peace settlement], pushing Ukraine to utterly reckless actions.”
It’s unclear if he was referring to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s announcement of an settlement to co-produce long-range weapon techniques for Ukraine. This assertion got here a day after Europe and the US eliminated their restriction on Ukraine’s capability to make use of long-range missiles.
It may result in WWIII
In November of final yr, Senior Russian lawmakers threatened that outgoing US President Joe Biden’s choice to permit Ukraine to strike deep inside Russian territory with ATACMS missiles may result in World Warfare III and the lack of Ukrainian statehood, the Kyiv Unbiased reported.
Putin’s new situations forward of June 2 talks with Kiev in Istanbul for ending the struggle in Ukraine embody a requirement that Western leaders pledge in writing to cease enlarging NATO eastwards and elevate a very good a part of sanctions on Russia, Reuters mentioned on Wednesday. He desires Ukraine, in addition to George, Moldova, and different former Soviet republics, not noted of NATO.
Russia additionally desires Ukraine to be impartial, some Western sanctions lifted, a decision of the problem of frozen Russian sovereign property within the West, and safety for Russian audio system in Ukraine, Reuters added.
One Russian supply instructed Reuters that, if Putin realises he’s unable to achieve a peace deal on his personal phrases, he’ll search to display to the Ukrainians and Europeans by way of army victories that “peace tomorrow might be much more painful.”