Coronavirus Pandemic Has Made World War Three 'A Risk', UK Defence Chief Says

The Chief of the Defence Staff has warned that the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic has made the prospect of World War Three "a risk".

General Sir Nick Carter said Britain and the rest of the world would need to "learn" from history and the international missteps that led to the previous world wars in the last century given the uncertainties caused by COVID-19.

Speaking on Sky News ahead of Remembrance Sunday commemorations, Gen Sir Nick Carter said there was a worry that the increase in regional conflicts playing out across the world could ramp up into "a full-blown war", mirroring the run-up to the previous two world wars.

Gen Sir Nick Carter argued that, with the world being "a very uncertain and anxious place" during the pandemic, there was the possibility "you could see escalation lead to miscalculation".

He told the Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme: "We have to remember that history might not repeat itself but it has a rhythm and if you look back at the last century, before both world wars, I think it was unarguable that there was escalation which led to the miscalculation which ultimately led to war at a scale we would hopefully never see again."

Asked whether he was saying there was a "real threat" of World War Three, he replied: "I’m saying it’s a risk and we need to be conscious of those risks.

"And that’s why Remembrance matters, because if you look back at history, hopefully you learn from their experience and you make sure that you’re very cautious about how you manage the sorts of regional conflicts that we see playing out in the world today."

Despite the coronavirus lockdown currently in force in England, Remembrance Sunday events have been allowed to go ahead as long as they are held outside and social distancing measures are in place.

Cover image: General Sir Nick Carter (Picture: PA).