Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto warned that French President Emmanuel Macron’s threat to send NATO troops to Ukraine could spark World War III.
Last week, Macron said the question of sending Western troops to Ukraine would “legitimately” arise in the event of Russian troops breaking through the Ukrainian front lines.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to Macron’s “threat” saying it was “very dangerous.”
Peter Szijjarto also responded to the French leader’s comments, warning it represented a stunning escalation.
“If a NATO member commits ground troops, it will be a direct NATO-Russia confrontation and it will then be World War Three,” said Szijjarto.
He also highlighted that such a conflict would likely escalate into a nuclear confrontation.
“Let’s be clear: if there is a nuclear war, everything and everyone will be lost,” he said.
“If there is a nuclear war, everyone will die and everything will be destroyed, which no one with any common sense can wish for,” said Szijjarto.
Senior Italian government officials condemned Macron over his comments.
“Sending Italian soldiers to fight outside the EU borders?” remarked Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini.
“Follow the obsessions of some dangerous and desperate European leader like Macron? No thanks, never in the name of the League.”
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said:
“I don’t judge a president of a friendly country like France, but I don’t understand the purpose and usefulness of these declarations, which objectively raise tensions.”
Meanwhile, the former commander of the UK’s Joint Forces Command, General Sir Richard Barrons, warned that Ukraine is at “serious risk” of having to admit defeat to Russia.
Barrons said that the general feeling among the population is that Ukraine “can’t win.”
Earlier this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that if they put troops on the ground in Ukraine, they should expect a global nuclear war in return.
In a state-of-the-nation address ahead of next month’s election, Putin highlighted his readiness to hold Russian gains in Ukraine at any cost.
“We remember the fate of those who sent their troop contingents to the territory of our country,” the Russian leader said.
“Now the consequences for the potential invaders will be far more tragic.”
“Don’t they understand it?” he continued.
“Those people haven’t been through any tough challenges and they have forgotten what war means.”
READ: Hungary’s Viktor Orbán Warns Tucker “World War 3 is Knocking at The Door
