New Delhi: The admission of Ukraine to Nato could result in a third world war, said Alexander Venediktov, the deputy secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation on Thursday.

Zelenskyy announced a surprise bid for fast-track membership of the Nato military alliance

In an interview with TASS news agency,Venediktov said, “Kyiv is well aware that such a step would mean a guaranteed escalation to a World War Three,” Reuters reported.

“Apparently, that’s what they are counting on – to create informational noise and draw attention to themselves once again.”

Venediktov also repeated the Russian position that the West, by helping Ukraine, indicated that “they are a direct party to the conflict”.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a surprise bid for fast-track membership of the Nato military alliance at the end of September, after President Vladimir Putin held a ceremony in Moscow to proclaim the four partially occupied regions as annexed Russian land, Reuters reported.