A CHILLING forecast of how World War Three will start has been revealed by Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte.

The leader of the alliance has issued a cautionary statement about the risk of concurrent invasions by Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, which could endanger the world with a threat of nuclear catastrophe.

China would start by seeking to grab Taiwan – while ensuring the Kremlin dictator simultaneously attacks Nato territory.

Emphasizing the pressing requirement to enhance military capacities and increase defense budgets, Rutte ominously remarked to the New York Times: “We must not be naive: If Xi Jinping plans to invade Taiwan, it’s likely he would first communicate with his considerably subordinate ally, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, who is based in Moscow, instructing him to distract their adversaries in Europe by attacking NATO territories.”

“That is most likely the way this will progress.”

Rutte explained that in order to “deter” the two powerful nations, there are two things that must be done.

He said: “One is that Nato, collectively, being so strong that the Russians will never do this. 

“And second, working together with the Indo-Pacific – something President [Donald] Trump is very much promoting. 

“Because we have this close interconnectedness, working together on defence industry, innovation between Nato and the Indo-Pacific.”

Russia could rebuild its military to a worrying capacity as early as 2027, according to a report by a top security think tank.

The International Institute for Strategic Studies said Putin may deploy his army onto a “war footing” and try to test Nato by evoking Article 5.

This may see the Kremlin decide to leave Ukraine alone as it continues to recover from Russia’s three-and-a-half year onslaught.

Instead, Putin could commit to an attack on Nato states in the Baltics.

Fears are already looming that the Russian dictator is eyeing the Baltic republics Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, formerly part of the USSR.

Rutte noted that Putin is rearming at an unprecedented pace in modern history and has emphasized the need for Western nations to ramp up their defense expenditures.

He said: “We have an enormous geopolitical challenge on our hands.

“They are now producing three times as much ammunition in three months as the whole of Nato is doing in a year. 

“This is unsustainable, but the Russians are working together with the North Koreans, with the Chinese and Iranians, the mullahs, in fighting this unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine.

“So here, the Indo-Pacific and your Atlantic are getting more and more interconnected. We know that China has its eye on Taiwan.”

Russia today hit back at ex-Netherlands premier Rutte, claiming he had “gorged on too many of the magic mushrooms beloved by the Dutch”, while warning he should look forward to a future in a hellish Siberian labour camp. 

Senior Putin puppet and security official Dmitry Medvedev lashed out on X: “He sees collusion between China & Russia over Taiwan, and then a Russian attack on Europe. 

“But he’s right about one thing: he should learn Russian. It might come in handy in a Siberian camp.”

The warnings came as Russia continued its onslaught on Ukraine – days after Putin informed US President Donald Trump by telephone that he had no intention of halting his war of invasion. 

Mad Vlad pummelled Ukraine with four S-300 missiles and 157 drones, with 127 of the UAVs shot down or suppressed by electronic warfare. 

Explosions hit Kyiv and the surrounding region, with multiple people wounded and residential buildings damaged. 

In Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv, a two year old child and a woman, 46, were among those hurt as Putin continued to terrorise civilians, seeking to weaken the population’s resolve.  

The Russians also hit Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region. 

Apartment buildings were also hit in Kramatorsk in drone strikes.

Ukraine hit back with an attack sea drone seen being destroyed by Russian defences in Novorossiysk Bay in the Black Sea. 

Moscow was forced to close its major international airport Sheremetyevo due to the threat of drones. 

Rutte praised Trump for seeking to make progress with Putin just a few weeks after calling the US President “daddy” during a summit.

The Nato chief said: “He is the one who broke the deadlock with Putin. When he became president in January, he started these discussions with Putin, and he was the only one who was able to do this.

“This had to happen. A direct dialogue between the American president and the president of the Russian Federation.”

Yet this had not yet resulted in a long-awaited peace deal.

“We are not there yet, and that means that in the meantime you have to make sure that Ukraine has what it needs to stay in the fight.”

Trump rages Putin ‘just wants to keep killing people’

By Patrick Harrington, Foreign News Reporter

DONALD Trump issued a bleak warning that Putin wants to “keep killing people” after Russia launched its largest-yet barrage of drones and missiles at Ukraine.

In a middle finger to the US, the onslaught hit just hours after Putin and Trump had a fruitless 60-minute phone call – which touched on the possibility of fresh American sanctions.

Trump fumed on Friday that he was “very unhappy” about the phone call with Putin and ensuing strikes.

He said: “[Putin] wants to go all the way, just keep killing people, it’s no good.”

Trump revealed the two leaders had spoken “a lot” about sanctions, adding: “He understands that it may be coming.”

The Kremlin said on Friday it was “preferable” to reach its goals of its invasion through political and diplomatic means – despite having just blitzed Ukraine with masses of explosives.

Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov continued: “But as long as that is not possible, we are continuing the special operation.”

Hours after hanging up on Thursday night, Vlad green-lighted the largest volley of missiles and drones since the start of the war.

Fires broke out in multiple locations as almost every district in the capital city was struck, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration.

Dozens of Ukrainians were injured as toxic smoke engulfed the city.