LAND-GRABBING Vladimir Putin will strike and spark a world war if Washington continues to misread the crisis in Ukraine, an expert warns.

Geopolitical expert Brandon J. Weichert fears Joe Biden will “appease" the Russian strongman in the long-term, with the pair set to hold crunch talks on Thursday.

The two leaders will speak in a bid to defuse bubbling tensions between Washington and Moscow over the build-up of troops in Ukraine.

Russian wargames continue to ramp up as Putin’s satellite-destroying S-550 missile that’s capable of shooting down “space weapons” has reportedly been put into service.

And, hawkish Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov warned of a new Cuban missile crisis. The 1962 crisis is the closest the world has come to a nuclear war.

Weichert told The Sun: “Biden’s going to eventually appease Putin – either by giving him Eastern Europe or reinstating the Minsk agreement.

The first Minsk deal, signed in 2014, broke down after violations by both Ukraine and Russian-based separatists, while the second agreement outlined military and political steps that remain unimplemented.

Weichert warned: “It’s going to send a signal to the Chinese that the salami slice tactics used by Putin will work in Taiwan.

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“That will send America over to the East as they will have to deal with the very significant threat of China.”

The expert believes Putin will try to “gobble up” the former territories of the Soviet Union, “inevitably” sparking WW3.

Weichert said: “I don’t know how we can get out of it. We can’t go to war over Ukraine. It's not worth it and it's not the right time.

"But at the same time, if we cede Eastern Ukraine, it’s going to encourage more aggression. We learned this in the Second World War.

“Putin wins points at home if he beats his chest at the West. But I do think if we’re not careful, Putin will lash out and he will strike.

"Washington is completely misreading this when diplomats and officials say it’s a bluff.”

The chilling warning comes as Biden and Putin are set to talk for the second time this month.

It's been widely reported that Biden will offer the Russian strongman a "diplomatic path" out of the crisis.

The leaders will discuss a range of topics, "including upcoming diplomatic engagements with Russia," National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said on Wednesday.

BIDEN'S 'DEEP CONCERNS'

The call was initially requested by Putin, an official claimed, but was accepted by Biden as "he believes when it comes to Russia there is no substitute for direct leader-leader dialogue."

Earlier this month, Biden was seen waving at his Russian counterpart and forgot to turn on his mic during the high-stakes call.

A White House statement revealed that the president “voiced the deep concerns of the United States and our European Allies about Russia's escalation of forces surrounding Ukraine”.

Biden reportedly made clear that the US and its allies would respond with strong economic and other measures if there was a military escalation.

The president also reportedly "reiterated his support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Moscow has denied that it plans to attack Ukraine.

RISING TENSIONS

The talks come at a time when fears of a potential conflict in Eastern Europe continue to rise.

Russian-backed militias have reportedly deployed “suicide squads” in Ukraine as they try to locate and destroy covert military bases.

The Russian navy has added the Knyaz Oleg and Novosibirsk nuclear missile submarines to its growing fleet, according to the TASS news agency.

Putin proudly claimed that both vessels constitute a “formidable strike force”.

Isabel Sawkins, a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, told The Sun that it was possible Putin could intensify wargames during the holiday season while the West was distracted.

She said: “Russia doesn’t celebrate Christmas at the same time as the West does because they operate on a slightly different calendar.

“So for the next few weeks, Moscow will go about its business as normal.”

Sawkins added that the current political climate in Europe created an “opportune” moment for Putin to escalate the rhetoric.

Germany, a powerhouse in Europe, has a new Chancellor after Angela Merkel left office following a 16-year tenure, while the Omicron coronavirus variant rampages across the continent.

Sawkins believes that Putin doesn’t want to jeopardize the potential of having a future relationship with the West in the long term.

Brandon J Weichert is a geopolitical expert and the author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower.

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