Meet five regions of the world where World War III can begin

The world has managed to survive the year 2017 without engaging in a disastrous conflict with the participation of the superpowers." In some parts of the world (especially in Syria) tensions have declined significantly, but in others, already tense situations have become even more acute. "writes the author on The National Interest portal.

The first country on Farley's list is North Korea, which, in his view, was caught up in the most severe geopolitical crisis in modern times.

"The North Korean successes in ballistic missile production, coupled with the lack of diplomatic experience of the Trump administration, have created an extremely dangerous situation," says the professor.

According to him, miscalculations both by Pyongyang and by Washington can evolve into a war in which Japan and China could be involved.

Taiwan

For Farley, the second region where a large-scale conflict can begin is Taiwan. Chinese diplomat Li Kexin recently said Beijing would "reunite Taiwan" with military force on the day that US military ships reach the coast of the peninsula.

At the same time, China has increased military activities in the area and these have repeatedly provoked US discontent. In addition, Washington continues to expand its arms deliveries to Taiwan.

"It seems like such influential actors as China and the US are ready to trade relations that require predictability and cautious diplomacy for a situation of uncertainty that can lead to a devastating conflict," Farley believes.

Ukraine

The next in the list is Ukraine, where the situation, according to the expert, remains tense: the cease-fire in the east of the country is frequently violated, while the protests in Kiev and the "unpublished history" around Mikhail Saakashvili put in question the stability of the current Ukrainian government.

For Farley, the failure of the government in Kiev can lead to a series of consequences that can aggravate the crisis: in particular, power can be taken by representatives of the extreme right forces, causing a new escalation of tensions in Donbass.

The professor also does not rule out the variant in which Moscow can increase its presence in Ukraine in a scenario of collapse of the current authorities, which, in turn, can provoke a large-scale military confrontation between Russia and the West.

Southern Flank of NATO

The fourth region vulnerable to a possible armed conflict, in Farley's opinion, is NATO's southern flank, in particular Turkey.

According to the analyst, the distance between Ankara and the European Union along with the US and the Turkish approach to Moscow is a sign of a serious change in the balance of forces in the region.

Neither Turkey nor Russia nor the United States believe that war is a reasonable means of resolving a diplomatic situation created, says the author. However, changing the balance in the region can influence the course of events in Syria, Iraq, Iran, the Balkans and the Caucasus.

Persian Gulf

Finishing the list, Farley points to the Persian Gulf as a potential area where World War III can begin, given the confrontation between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

The professor points out that in this region there have been conflicts, but they have never developed in world wars.

"Meanwhile, Riyadh has made it clear that it is willing to build a diplomatic and military coalition against Iran and perhaps even include Israel in it. At a time when Russia is once again defending its positions in the region, it is very sad to imagine how all this can turn into a confrontation of two superpowers, "summarizes the author.