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World War III would destroy civilization, must be prevented — senior Russian diplomat

Alexander Pankin also expressed skepticism about UN reform efforts

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

ST. PETERSBURG, June 18. /TASS/. A third world war would destroy civilization and must be prevented at all costs, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin told a session at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

"In addition, a third world war would simply annihilate civilization. <...> That’s precisely why preventing it is paramount," Pankin emphasized.

The senior diplomat also expressed skepticism about UN reform efforts. "Scrapping everything and starting from scratch may prove more effective than <...> trying to compile a list of mandates, figuring out how relevant and welcome potential trims would be, not to mention, God forbid, eliminations - that would be a never-ending story," the senior diplomat noted.

About SPIEF

The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) is taking place on June 18-21. This year, the event is held under the theme "Shared Values: The Foundation of Growth in a Multipolar World." The Roscongress Foundation is the organizer of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. TASS is its information partner.

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