The armed conflict in Ukraine as a potential precursor to a global military confrontation – a comparative perspective in the context of the world’s largest wars
1
Brak, Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Krakowie, Poland
Submission date: 2025-07-10
Final revision date: 2025-11-07
Acceptance date: 2025-11-08
Online publication date: 2025-12-17
Publication date: 2025-12-17
Przegląd Nauk o Obronności 2025;(21):55-67
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Objectives:
The purpose of this article is to analyze the war in Ukraine in the context of historical armed conflicts and assess the potential risk of escalation of this conflict to World War III. The paper aims to identify the characteristics of the modern Russian-Ukrainian conflict and compare them with selected international conflicts to determine the scale and global consequences of the current war
Methods:
The study used a comparative approach of qualitative analysis of selected armed conflicts, such as the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf conflict and the Chechen War. This method made it possible to identify similarities and differences in the course, scope and consequences of these wars, as well as to assess their impact on the international order.
Results:
The analysis showed that the Russian-Ukrainian conflict stands out from other conflicts both because of the scale of involvement of world powers and the unprecedented geopolitical, economic and social consequences, which are felt not only at the regional level, but also at the global level and in the economic context. Unlike previous wars, the war in Ukraine triggered widespread political and social mobilization.
Conclusions:
The results of the study indicate that the war in Ukraine, although it has not yet formally evolved into a global conflict, has characteristics that could be the seeds of a larger escalation. The complexity of the conflict, the involvement of key international actors and its implications for European and global security pose a real risk of this war turning into a wider conflict.
The purpose of this article is to analyze the war in Ukraine in the context of historical armed conflicts and assess the potential risk of escalation of this conflict to World War III. The paper aims to identify the characteristics of the modern Russian-Ukrainian conflict and compare them with selected international conflicts to determine the scale and global consequences of the current war
Methods:
The study used a comparative approach of qualitative analysis of selected armed conflicts, such as the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf conflict and the Chechen War. This method made it possible to identify similarities and differences in the course, scope and consequences of these wars, as well as to assess their impact on the international order.
Results:
The analysis showed that the Russian-Ukrainian conflict stands out from other conflicts both because of the scale of involvement of world powers and the unprecedented geopolitical, economic and social consequences, which are felt not only at the regional level, but also at the global level and in the economic context. Unlike previous wars, the war in Ukraine triggered widespread political and social mobilization.
Conclusions:
The results of the study indicate that the war in Ukraine, although it has not yet formally evolved into a global conflict, has characteristics that could be the seeds of a larger escalation. The complexity of the conflict, the involvement of key international actors and its implications for European and global security pose a real risk of this war turning into a wider conflict.
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