The Pentagon believes that escalation of the war in Ukraine could lead to a direct confrontation between Russia and the U.S.

Escalation of the war in Ukraine could lead to a direct confrontation between Russia and the United States.

This information reported according to General Gregory Guillot, head of the U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). He made the statement during a hearing before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee.

Guillot noted a growing risk of military conflict between the United States and its primary rivals — Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.

Although these countries seek to avoid open war with the U.S., their perception of Western decline is emboldening them to take more aggressive actions, thereby increasing the risk of miscalculations during crises.

“While China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran aim to avoid direct armed conflict with the United States, their perception of Western decline contributes to a growing willingness to challenge the United States on the global stage and raises the risk of miscalculation during a crisis,” said Guillot.

He emphasized that several scenarios exist under which the war in Ukraine could escalate into a direct military confrontation between Moscow and Washington.

The general also pointed to expanding military cooperation between Russia, China, and North Korea, citing the involvement of North Korean troops in combat operations in Russia’s Kursk region and joint Russian-Chinese military drills in the Arctic.