A conflict like World War II is impossible under current conditions, but there is a likelihood of “a breakdown in world development” and “a fight of all against all,” said Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Of course, now such a hot global conflict, I hope, is basically impossible. I really hope so. It would mean the end of civilization,” he said, speaking on Wednesday at the economic forum in Davos by video link.
“But I repeat: the situation can develop unpredictably and uncontrollably, if, of course, nothing is done to prevent this from happening,” Putin continued.
According to him, “there is a possibility of encountering a real breakdown in world development, fraught with a struggle of all against all, with attempts to resolve urgent conflicts through the search for internal and external enemies.”
Putin stressed that this is fraught with the destruction of traditional values such as family and basic freedoms.
The Russian leader also called the extension of the Treaty on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (START) a step in the right direction. Nevertheless, according to him, “the contradictions are still twisting, as they say, in a spiral.”
Putin noted that in many ways, experts compare the current situation in the world with the 1930s.
“We see a crisis of previous models and instruments of economic development, an increase in social stratification both at the global level and in individual countries. This, in turn, is causing today a sharp polarization of public views, provoking the growth of populism, legal and left radicalism and other extremes, aggravation and toughening of internal political processes, including in the leading countries, “he explained.
“All this inevitably affects the nature of international relations, does not add stability and predictability to them. There is a weakening of international institutions, regional conflicts multiply, and the global security system is also degrading,” Putin added.
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