US can face war with Russia or China at any moment - US Air Force Chief

A war between the United States and Russia or China is entirely possible – it could happen at any moment. U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall stated this, reports Newsweek.

It is noted that the minister's warning came at a time when Russia and China are growing closer to each other. The White House prioritizes maintaining a long-term competitive advantage over China while simultaneously deterring Russia.

According to Kendall, his primary task as head of the Air Force Department is to "instill a sense of urgency" about the need to prepare for the next war, in which "we may have to fight."

"War with China or Russia is not unlikely, it can happen at any time," he said, adding that China has weapons designed to defeat the U.S. forces in the Western Pacific Ocean, including Taiwan and the South China Sea, which are its high national priorities.

He also stated that Russia has demonstrated its willingness to use force against neighboring countries and has seriously considered the possibility of using nuclear weapons: "The potential for nuclear weapon use became as real as I've ever experienced."

Last week, the commander of the U.S. military in the Indo-Pacific region, Admiral Samuel Paparo, warned his forces "must be ready" after China held the largest invasion rehearsal around Taiwan, a self-ruled island that Beijing views as its territory, over the summer. China's claims over islands, reefs, and maritime zones in the South China Sea conflict with those of other regional countries, but its disputes with the Philippines, the oldest treaty ally of the U.S. in Asia, have led to the most intense physical clashes and political tensions.

While Russia has demonstrated its willingness to use force against neighboring countries, it seriously considered employing nuclear weapons as it faced reversals in Ukraine, said Kendall. "The potential for nuclear weapon use became as real as I've ever experienced."

Recently, Major General Christian Freuding, the head of the Special Staff for Ukraine at the German Ministry of Defence, said that the Russian army could rebuild its forces within five years, enabling it to launch any aggression against NATO territory.