The Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has warned that if a peace deal is not reached in Syria there is the possibility of a protracted world war.

“The Americans and our Arabic partners must think hard about this: do they want a permanent war?” Medvedev told the German Handelsblatt business daily in an interview.

“Do they really think they would win such a war very quickly? That’s impossible, especially in the Arabic world. There everyone is fighting against everyone… everything is far more complicated. It could take years or decades.”

“All sides must be forced to the negotiating table instead of sparking a new world war,” he added.

“This is bad as a ground offensive usually turns the war into a permanent one. Just look at what happened in Afghanistan and many other countries. I don’t need to remind you what happened in poor Libya,” he said.

On Monday Infowars.com reported on sources quoted by CNN’s Arabic division in Dubai stating Saudi Arabia has formed a coalition of Sunni nations that is preparing to invade Syria under the pretense of fighting the Islamic State.

The invasion scheduled for March will be led by the Saudis and Turks and will originate in Turkey, according to CNN.

Ashton Carter, the US Secretary of Defense, said he welcomed a Saudi offer to participate in ground operations. “That kind of news is very welcome,” he told reporters while on a visit to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.