Putin warns West of World War III after winning fifth term as Russia’s president

After securing his fifth term in Russia's presidential election on Sunday, Vladimir Putin hinted at a looming conflict with the US-led NATO, saying that it can lead the world towards World War III but hardly anyone desires such a scenario.

Tensions between Russia and the US have deteriorated since the beginning of the Ukraine war in 2022. Putin has frequently alluded to the possibility of a nuclear war but asserted that he has not felt the need to resort to nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

His statement came after French President Emmanuel Macron stated that he could not dismiss the possibility of deploying ground troops in Ukraine in the future. 

In response to Macron's remarks, he commented, "Everything is possible in the modern world".

"It is clear to everyone that this will be one step away from a full-scale World War Three. I think hardly anyone is interested in this," Putin told reporters following his record landslide victory.

The Russian head-of-state mentioned that NATO military personnel were already in Ukraine, asserting that Russia had picked up both English and French being spoken on the battlefield.

"There is nothing good in this, first of all for them, because they are dying there and in large numbers," he added. 

In a historic electoral triumph since the Soviet era, Putin secured 87.8% of the vote in Russia’s election on Sunday. The 71-year-old statesman is set to become Russia’s longest-serving leader in over two centuries, surpassing Joseph Stalin.

During his victory speech, he underscored that the election outcome should serve as a signal to the West, indicating that its leaders must confront a more assertive Russia, whether in times of conflict or peace in the future.

Prior to the Russian election on March 15-17, Ukraine escalated its assaults on Russia by targeting border regions and employing proxies in attempts to breach Russia's borders.

When questioned about the necessity of annexing Ukraine's Kharkiv region, Putin responded that if the attacks continued, Russia would establish a buffer zone by invading more Ukrainian territory to safeguard its own.

The newly-elected president suggested that if Macron refrains from exacerbating the crisis in Ukraine, he could play a role in easing tensions.

He disregarded US concerns regarding the transparency of Russia’s presidential elections while simultaneously criticising the state of democracy in the US and its use of power against former president Donald Trump.

"The whole world is laughing at what is happening there," Putin rebuffed the United States. "It is just a catastrophe - it is not democracy - what on earth is it?" he added.