Vucic Warns Europe’s Military Expansion Raises Risk of Global War

(MENAFN) Former Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has warned that the world is moving toward a large-scale military confrontation, arguing that a third world war is unavoidable as European countries accelerate their military expansion, according to media reports published Tuesday.

Speaking in an interview with Russian journalist Ksenia Sobchak, Vucic voiced concern about rising defense expenditure across Europe, particularly in Scandinavian countries, where governments have been investing in expanding their military capabilities.

He pointed to German defense company Rheinmetall as an example of the growing arms industry, claiming its profits had risen seventeenfold as demand for military equipment increased.

“If you don’t see how Europe is arming itself, then you are deliberately ignoring it. But why are they arming themselves? For what purpose?” Vucic asked.

To illustrate his concerns, he referred to a literary principle associated with Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, which holds that a gun introduced at the beginning of a play must eventually be fired. Vucic suggested that Europe's growing accumulation of weapons could ultimately result in armed confrontation.

European governments, meanwhile, have generally defended their higher military budgets as essential to strengthening national security and deterring potential threats from Russia.

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