The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, after learning about the decision of the International Criminal Court in The Hague to issue a warrant for the arrest of the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, in connection with crimes in Ukraine, announced the escalation of the conflict, which could lead to the Third World War.

This was reported by the Serbian publication Telegraf.

Vučić received the message about Putin's arrest warrant on the phone during his trip to different regions of the country.

He commented on this in a speech to the residents of Sremska Mitrovica in northern Serbia.

"The world is sliding towards an additional escalation of the conflict.

Both [Russia and the West] will play all or nothing.

The West wants to put additional pressure on everyone who was not the most categorically against the Russian Federation.

I am aware of the situation we will face... We are not far from the beginning of the Third World War," the Serbian leader said. 

At the same time, Vucic emphasized that the position of his country should be to avoid participation in "foreign conflicts". 

"My job is to be ruthless if necessary to protect our children, that's my job and I will stick to that job.

Throughout history, we have countless examples of irresponsible behavior.

We have always been emotional.

Everything changed on February 24 last year, and today it turned upside down again.

They [Russia and the West] will play until they are destroyed.

For us, the only salvation is not to participate in anything," he said.

It will be recalled that the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for the President of Russia Vladimir Putin and the Commissioner for Children's Rights of the Russian Federation Maria Lvova-Belova for committing a war crime - the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children.

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, believes that the Hague Court's warrant for Putin's arrest has a real prospect.

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• World news

• War in Ukraine

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