Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s former president, has warned that Moscow’s confrontation with the West will last decades and that its conflict with Ukraine could become permanent.
Medvedev, has emerged as one of Russia’s most outspoken war hawks since Moscow launched what it called a “special military operation” in Ukraine in 2022.
Now Medvedev, who is the deputy head of the Security Council, has stated that tensions between Russia and the West were “much worse” than during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis when the world teetered on the edge of a nuclear war.
In an article for the government’s Rossiiskaya Gazeta newspaper on Monday, July 3, he said a nuclear war was “quite probable” but was unlikely to have any winners.
He said Russia and the West had sharp differences over Ukraine, the direction humankind should go, and the way the world order was structured.
“One thing that politicians of all stripes do not like to admit: such an Apocalypse is not only possible, but also quite probable,” wrote Medvedev.
The West, has been helping Ukraine defend itself from a brutal colonial war of conquest by Russia with the United States being Ukraine’s biggest financial and military backer.
But the US says it does not want to engage in a direct conflict with Russia to avoid the risk of a nuclear war.
Ukraine says it won’t negotiate until it has driven the Russian from its territory.
Medvedev added that Moscow was still committed to stopping Ukraine join NATO.
“Our goal is simple – to eliminate the threat of Ukraine’s membership in NATO. And we will achieve it. One way or another,” he said.
Given NATO’s rule about not admitting countries entangled in territorial conflicts, Medvedev said the conflict with Ukraine could become “permanent” because it is an existential threat to Moscow.
“The confrontation will be very long and it is too late to tame the recalcitrants (i.e. us),” said Medvedev. “The confrontation will last for decades.”