Ukraine is prepared to continue fighting Russia for another two to three years, but fears the war could last decades, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned in his interview for The Times.

He said he has "no doubt that Ukraine will survive as an independent state." However, Kyiv is concerned about how long the country can sustain the war, both in terms of human losses and economic strain.

"Now the main question is how many victims we will see. President Zelensky told me [on Thursday] that he hopes that the war will not last ten years, but that Ukraine is ready to fight for another two, three years," Tusk stated.

Ukraine’s right to strike Russia-linked targets across Europe

Tusk also emphasized that Ukraine has the right to target Russian-linked objectives anywhere in Europe. He noted that the full-scale war is crippling Russia’s economy, which faces “dramatic” challenges amid new US sanctions on Russian oil companies.

Following the “Coalition of the Willing” meeting, European leaders expressed hope that a decision on giving Ukraine access to frozen Russian assets could be reached by Christmas.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called for urgent action: “We have to go after Russia's money." According to the official, now that sanctions are working and it’s time to increase economic pressure to push Russian President Vladimir Putin toward negotiations.

Russia is willing to fight, the West still unprepared

Tusk highlighted that internal instability makes Putin even more aggressive, while the Trump administration’s tough stance on Moscow has yet to provide a clear picture.

He said that "the Russians are in really deep trouble" economically. 

“Does it mean we can say we are winning? Not at all. They have one big advantage against the West, and Europe especially: they are ready to fight … in wartime, this is absolutely the crucial question,” he emphasized.

Putin’s threat to NATO and European capitals is real 

Tusk warned that a Kremlin attack on a NATO country would also put the UK at risk. He expressed shock at the British public’s apparent indifference to national security, referencing a reported arson attack on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s home, likely orchestrated by Russian intelligence.

He added that Russia’s deployment of new “Oreshnik” hypersonic missiles in Belarus or Kaliningrad would allow Moscow to strike any European capital, including London, with a range of up to 3,200 km.

“We are talking about the end of the era of illusions in Europe — too late, I’m afraid. Too late to be well prepared for all the threats, but not too late to survive,” Tusk added.

Russia is preparing a humanitarian disaster in Ukraine this winter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned. His statements came during a meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London ahead of a joint conference with leaders of the Coalition of the Willing, UNIAN reports. 

Starmer noted that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin shows no willingness to participate in peace efforts and continues attacks that harm civilians, including children, as per the Independent. 

“I agree with you that Putin does not show any desire to end the war, and once again has taken steps that will lead us to a humanitarian disaster.

This is what he intends to organize this winter, targeting energy, gas, and water supply,” Zelenskyy emphasized.

Winter under attack

Zelenskyy thanked the UK for its support and confirmed that Ukraine is not alone. The Coalition of the Willing will discuss security guarantees for Ukraine, enhanced air defense, and energy assistance.

Europe and NATO strengthen Ukraine’s defense

Earlier, Zelenskyy reported that some European countries possess long-range weapons, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, and Ukraine is already negotiating their delivery. The UK has previously provided Ukraine with Storm Shadow missiles.