Where will new armed conflicts arise in 2017?

US President-elect Donald Trump takes office in a foreign policy context that is by no means simple and he will have to mobilize all efforts to eliminate the threat of escalating confrontation between world powers.

Armed conflict. Photo: AFP

There are a number of dangerous "hot spots" that could lead to new armed conflicts, - as listed by The National Interest.

First of all, according to the author, there is still a high risk of a clash on the Korean peninsula. This is not only due to North Korea continuing to strengthen its nuclear and missile capabilities, but also linked to the political crisis in South Korea. Another "hot spot" is the civil war that has engulfed Syria, where, according to NI, the possibility of a clash between the Russian and American armed forces, which could erupt due to mistakes in air strikes, cannot be ruled out.

In addition to Syria, another "hotbed of conflict" in this region is the Pakistan-India border. During a phone call with the Pakistani Prime Minister, Trump offered to take on the role of mediator to resolve the Kashmir dispute, but this may only aggravate the situation, - NI author warns.

The situation in the Baltic states, in the author’s opinion, also reveals the danger of escalating confrontation between Moscow and Washington. The fact that Donald Trump questions the need to protect European members of NATO that do not fully fulfill their financial obligations to the organization could be a reason for threatening to escalate the conflict between the US and Russia.

And finally, according to NI, a full-scale “war” between world powers could erupt in cyberspace. The scandal linked to “Russian interference” in the US presidential election shows that the escalation of tensions between the two countries is completely real.

According to Sputnik