There has been considerable discussion about the potential for World War III.

This discussion primarily involves political leaders using alarming rhetoric as U.S. policy regarding Russia and Ukraine evolves, alongside the ongoing conflict involving Israel, Hamas, and Hezbollah.

Recently, notable changes to President Joe Biden’s Ukraine policy have intensified these discussions about a potential world war. Let’s explore the reasons behind the current conversations about WWIII.

Trump and Associates are Frequently Bringing It Up, Biden Occasionally Does

During Donald Trump’s presidency, there were widespread concerns among U.S. and international officials about the risk of him inadvertently sparking World War III with countries like Iran, China, or North Korea due to his unpredictable nature.

Both on the campaign trail and post-election, Trump and his circle have often alluded to the threat of WWIII in their rhetoric.

Trump remarked in a recent fundraising email, “It truly breaks my heart to see Crooked Joe − the weakest and most incompetent president in history − ruining our country and pushing America toward World War III.”

Trump has expressed a desire for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, claiming he could end the conflict in Ukraine “in a day,” although he hasn’t provided details on this, and neither side has agreed to negotiations.

Biden has also mentioned the phrase.

Last year, he stated, “We’re trying to avoid World War III,” in reference to the situation in Ukraine.

Biden Grants Ukraine Permission to Use Long-Range Missiles to Strike Russia

A significant increase in rhetoric surrounding WWIII has also stemmed from recent actions taken by the Biden administration. Ukrainian officials have long been urging the White House to allow them to utilize U.S.-provided long-range ballistic missiles, known as ATACMS, for operations against targets within Russia.

Initially, Biden’s team was apprehensive that permitting Ukraine to employ these weapons might deepen the U.S.’s involvement in the conflict or, even worse, provoke a nuclear response from Russia.

Following Biden’s authorization to use these missiles, Donald Trump Jr. expressed on social media: “The Military Industrial Complex appears to ensure they start World War 3 before my father has a chance to bring peace and save lives. They want to secure those trillions at any cost!!! Idiots!”

Rep. Michael Waltz, a Florida Republican and Trump’s soon-to-be national security adviser, commented on Fox News: “This is yet another escalation, and the outcome is uncertain.”

The Kremlin: A Nuclear Saber-Rattler’s Statements

Russian President Vladimir Putin consistently seizes opportunities to make bold statements and take actions that heighten tensions in Western capitals.

It can be difficult to discern whether his statements are propaganda or genuine threats.

However, following Biden’s approval for long-range missiles, Russia announced it was going to revise its nuclear strategy.

Russia declared it would now consider aggression from any non-nuclear state, such as Ukraine, backed by a nuclear power, referring to the United States, as a joint attack on them.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated that Russia “retains the right to use nuclear weapons if faced with aggression through conventional means against it or Belarus.”

Ukraine executed strikes using these long-range missiles on Tuesday, prompting Russia to launch a medium-range ballistic missile targeting Ukraine the following day. According to a U.S. official, the missile used by Russia was an experimental type not typically employed in warfare.

This readiness to strike may have been intended to intimidate Ukraine and its allies. However, the weapon’s significance is not deemed crucial to Russia’s military objectives, and U.S. officials had communicated with Ukraine and allied nations in advance to prepare them for the attack.

By Thursday, Putin was addressing the nation, stating that the conflict now possesses aspects of a “global nature.”

Once a journalist remarked: “Surely, even Vladimir Putin – known for being destructive and isolated, and intent on reviving his interpretation of Russia’s power – wouldn’t resort to using nuclear weapons in Ukraine, would he?”

The quick response is, like many aspects surrounding Putin, the truth is uncertain – likely not.