Venezuelan President Says Ukrainian Conflict Could Lead to Third World War

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) - The military conflict in Ukraine could lead to a third world war, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said, adding that it is important to stop global "madness."

"The conflict is expanding from a military point of view, which could lead to a third world war. Already now it has global consequences, such as a devastating impact on the prices of oil, petrol and gas, on the cost of food, fertilizer, transportation. The global impact is expressed in insecurity, in the management of international relations," Maduro said, as quoted by Venezuelan broadcaster VTV.

Maduro also expressed hope that a timely warning could "stop the madness that has seized the most important leaders of the West and the world."

Venezuela is already taking measures to control inflation and the possible effects of the spread of the conflict in Europe, Maduro noted.

On 24 February, Russia began a special operation to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine, responding to calls for help from the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics in countering the aggression of Ukrainian troops. The Russian Defence Ministry said the special operation is targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure only and the civilian population is not in danger. Moscow has repeatedly stressed that it has no plans to occupy Ukraine.