Volodymyr Zelensky fears that the conflict in Ukraine could develop into World War III.
The Ukrainian president has accused Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin of “lighting fires” across the globe that could blaze out of control.
Zelensky told The Sun newspaper from his Kyiv office: “Ukraine today is at the centre of these global risks of this Third World War.
“And I really think that Russia will push until the United States and China together will tell them very, very seriously to go out of (our) territory.”
Zelensky suggests that the carnage in the Middle East as a result of the conflict between Israel and Hamas was a “really big wish” of the Kremlin’s and also accused Moscow of causing trouble in the Balkans.
The president said: “We think that they are preparing now in the Balkans, they are doing new steps. And we think that they are trying to train or even training some people.
“The idea is to begin one conflict and they don’t manage it, don’t try to stop it.”
Zelensky also issued a warning to NATO allies that they could be under threat from Putin if Ukraine does not get sufficient defensive support.
He said: “If they kill us, they destroy us, they will occupy NATO countries very quickly, and after that you will move your soldiers.
“If you will not move your soldiers to fight for NATO against Russia, NATO will not be.”