Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the UK and former Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, recently stated that, with the involvement of Russia’s allies, we can now consider World War III to have begun.
Speaking at the Ukrainska Pravda-100 award ceremony, Zaluzhnyi argued that by 2024, the conflict has escalated beyond a war between Ukraine and Russia. “I believe that in 2024, we can absolutely assume that World War III has begun,” he said. The involvement of other nations like North Korea and Iran has significantly widened the scope of the war, with North Korean missiles and Iranian-made Shahed drones being used to attack Ukrainian civilians. Zaluzhnyi pointed out that even Chinese-made shells and components are found in Russian missiles targeting Ukraine.
Zaluzhnyi emphasized that most military experts would agree that these developments point to a broader global conflict. He added, “What we’ve expected for so long has started,” but urged that there is still a chance to prevent further escalation. “God Himself is giving a chance, not only to Ukraine but to the whole world, to have time to draw the correct conclusions now.”
However, he expressed frustration that some of Ukraine’s allies seem unwilling to acknowledge the urgency. While Ukraine’s resilience is bolstered by technology, Zaluzhnyi questioned whether the country could win this war without broader support. He concluded, “It’s obvious that Ukraine already has too many enemies,” and firmly believes, “the world war has already begun.”
