World War 3 WARNING: Trump U-turn re-opens possibility of 'NUCLEAR WAR' with North Korea
DONALD TRUMP's decision to cancel a long-awaited summit with North Korea has renewed fears the two countries could precipitate the international community into a nuclear World War 3.
US President Donald Trump called off a historic summit with Kim Jong-un after the despot carried out the destruction of one of his country's nuclear test sites.
North Korea's nuclear programme expert Mark Fitzpatrick warned the decision could spark once again the possibility of World War 3.
Mr Fitzpatrick told Channel 4 News: "I think there was a real possibility of a nuclear war: when you got countries that have nuclear weapons that don’t have any communication between them, that are ratcheting up the rhetoric and provocations one thing can easily lead to another.
"There was a real possibility of a nuclear war and now we are probably back into that possibility."
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The hermit kingdom’s state media mouthpiece, KCNA, insisted Mr Trump’s cancellation of his meeting with Kim Jong-un is “not in line with the world’s wishes”.
The dispatch quoted from the North’s vice foreign minister Kim Kye Gwan who claimed Pyongyang had held Mr Trump’s effort for negotiations in “high regard”
Mr Fitzpatrick continued: "It’s not over, we’ve got two weeks to go: there’s plenty of ups and downs that could still happen in the next two weeks.
"It’s looking very bad right now and I’m not optimistic but it’s not over yet. We’re still in the pre-negotiation stage."
There was a real possibility of a nuclear war and now we are probably back into that possibility
The executive director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies added: "Kim is thinking ‘this is the thanks I get? I just gave them a gift on top of the gift I gave them of their citizens back.’
"He’s thinking he has made two gestures and this is the response: I don’t think he is going to be conciliatory right now.
"If the United States could find a way to do something positive then I think things would get back on track."
US diplomat Nicholas Burns advised US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to take over negotiations with North Korea to de-escalate the tension between the two countries following the cancellation of the summit.
Mr Burns also warned that the US could suffer "potentially catastrophic" consequences should President Trump order an attack on the rogue regime.