The comments came as Putin claimed a landslide victory in Russia’s presidential election with 87.8 per cent of the votes.

The US, Germany, the UK, and other nations have said the election was neither free nor fair due to the imprisonment of political opponents and censorship.

During his post-election briefing, Putin said, “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.”

French President Emmanuel Macron previously stated that he could not rule out the possibility of deploying ground troops in Ukraine.

Responding to questions about Macron’s statements and the risks and possibility of conflict between Russia and NATO, Putin said, “Everything is possible in the modern world.”

Putin added that NATO servicemen were already in Ukraine.

Earlier, Putin stated that Russia was technically ready for nuclear war. He said if the United States sent troops to Ukraine, it would be seen as a significant escalation of the conflict.

In response, French President Macron stated that Putin should not make threats when his country possesses nuclear weapons.

According to the French president, he has not spoken with Putin for several months. Such dialogue was held “when necessary.”

In the United States, in response to Putin’s statements, it was noted that they do not see any plans by Russia to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine.

Ahead of NATO’s summit on Thursday, March 24, the US Ambassador to NATO, Julie Smith said forces from different NATO members would be deployed to the Eastern European countries to counter Russian aggression in Europe

She said they are “not just national forces,” saying additional details would be shared

Speaking at an Atlantic Council event, Smith said NATO is in discussions about its medium- and long-term force presence in its eastern flank.

“We’re going to have to make a series of ongoing assessment about our force posture that will take us weeks and months into the future,” she said, noting “it’s still an open question” of how the alliance takes the NATO-Russia Founding Act — which NATO allies believe Russia is “in clear violation of” — and moves to its longer-term posture.

“All options are on the table,” including permanent basing, she said.

Zelensky stated that it’s time for Ukraine to accept it wouldn’t join NATO.

The Ukrainian President said this during a call with the country’s military leaders on Tuesday.

“Ukraine is not a member of NATO. We understand that.

“We have heard for years that the doors were open, but we also heard that we could not join. It’s a truth and it must be recognized,” Zelensky said.

The possibility of joining NATO, a US-led military alliance, was one of the reasons Russia launched an attack on Ukraine in February.

When US President Donald Trump called on the UK, Germany, France, Russia and China — the other nations signatory to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, otherwise known as the Iran deal — to join him in walking away from the JCPOA, he was asking his European allies to do far more than isolate Iran.

The Iran deal, which was signed under the auspices of the European Union, is the single biggest foreign policy achievement in the EU’s history.

It was the EU that drove efforts to get all of the significant parties to the table. In doing so, it not only encouraged Iran to engage with the West, but it crucially created a forum in which the EU could start to navigate what is now its chief aim in foreign policy. “The EU’s top priority is balanced relations between the big two: China and America,” said Steven Blockmans, head of foreign affairs at the European Center for Policy Studies.

Europe’s China problem is acute. The continent’s stagnating economies benefit from Chinese investment, but that often comes with the potential security risk of allowing state-owned Chinese companies like telecoms giant Huawei to operate in Europe.

For its part, China is only too happy to cement its position as a major influence in Europe, home to some of the largest economies on the planet.

Historically, China and Iran have good diplomatic relations. These improved after the signing of the JCPOA, as Chinese investment in Iran increased and continued even after Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal.

Something that China and Iran also have in common is poor relations with Trump. He has tried to marginalize both countries by entering into a trade war with one and imposing sanctions on the other.

Meanwhile, Iran has friendly relations — diplomatically and militarily — with Russia, another state that the EU must maintain a complicated balancing act with. Many EU nations rely on Russian investment and natural resources, while major European financial centers, including London, have seen huge investments from wealthy Russians looking to get their money out of Russia.

However, in recent years, Europe has imposed financial sanctions on Russia, following Russian interference in European nations, ranging from waging misinformation campaigns to the state-backed assassination of Russian dissidents. And Western European nations have been among the most vocal in standing against Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in the east of Ukraine.

In asking his European and NATO allies to have a bigger involvement in his standoff with Iran, Trump is essentially asking them to make a choice: stay on good terms with new friends in Beijing, Moscow and Tehran; or fall in line behind its old ally, despite the fact it’s currently led by a man who is considered worryingly erratic by most European diplomats and might not even be in office after this year.

Then again, he might be. Europe has to have a long, hard think about what the implications of a second Trump term could be. Four more years, sure. But what would it mean for the long-term politics of the most powerful nation on earth, and can America ever go back to how it was before?

Complicating the decision for the EU, at least, is the fact that one of its most powerful members is leaving the bloc in less than a month. “The UK is leaving the EU at a time when Trump is trying to renegotiate the transatlantic relationship,” said Mark Leonard, director of the European Council on Foreign Relations. “There’s a danger that as Britain leaves the EU, it puts getting trade deals above all else.”

Sitting at the top of the UK’s hit list in terms of trade are the EU and the US — and the latter is a political priority for London. But most trade experts believe that a comprehensive deal with one sinks the chances of doing so with the other.

A good example of how difficult a balance this is for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson can be seen in how he has both supported the US in its strike that killed Iranian military chief Qasem Soleimani, while also telling Tehran that he has every intention of continuing to support the JCPOA. It’s unclear how long maintaining both positions remains viable — especially in the wake of the deaths of four Britons among the 176 who lost their lives in the Tehran plane crash that Iran has admitted responsibility for.

The Indiana National Guard said in a news release that Staff Sgt. Andrew Michael St. John, 29, of Greenwood, Ind., served as an infantryman with Company B, 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry Regiment with the Indiana National Guard.

St. John was on orders at Fort Hood as an embedded observer controller and trainer with Army National Guard Operations Group Wolf.

“For those who knew and worked with Staff Sgt. St. John, he was respected and admired for his great love for his country and family,” Lt. Col. Chad Pittman, commander of the 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry Regiment, said in a statement. “He continually sought ways to ensure the success of subordinates, better himself as leader, and contribute to the achievements the organization. My deepest sympathy for his family at this sad and difficult time.”

The 29-year-old had previously deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, two Army Achievement Medals, the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the NATO Medal and Indiana Military Volunteer Emblem.

The Indiana National Guard also described him as a “proud father and husband.”

“Janet and I offer our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends grieving the loss of Indiana native, Andrew St. John, who passed away Thursday evening at Fort Hood in Texas. He served with distinction and was known as someone who always put others above himself,” Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a statement to FOX59. “I ask all Hoosiers around the state join us in honoring his service and ultimate sacrifice to our state and nation.”

France, Germany, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom declared support on Monday for the Moldovan Parliament, which was our in power in February and disbanded a day after lawmakers elected Maia Sandu of the pro-E.U. ACUM alliance as prime minister of a new coalition government.

Russia also backed the governing merge formed by ACUM and the Socialists, but the Democratic Party-led government fails to recognize it.

Moldova’s Constitutional Court disrupted the transfer of power by suspending the Socialists former leader, President Igor Dodon, and appointing outgoing Prime Minister Pavel Filip to replace him. The president has the authority to dissolve parliament and to call a snap election.