Zelenskyy warns Russia could also attack EU countries as war rages on in Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Russia could also target European Union countries before the war in Ukraine ends, describing Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin as being in a “stalemate,” during an interview with The Guardian.

“I believe so. He can do that. We must forget about the general European scepticism that Putin first wants to occupy Ukraine and then may go somewhere else. He can do both at the same time,” Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine’s second war-time president linked the recent rise in criminal activity in Europe, including drone incursions into Poland and drones appearing over airports in other European capitals, to Russia’s failure to make significant gains on the front lines in Ukraine.

“Putin is in a dead-end situation in terms of real success. It’s more like a stalemate for him. That’s why these failures could lead him to look for other territories,” Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy also labeled Russia as a belligerent country that needs a strong external adversary to unite its diverse ethnic groups and regions. He said that Putin views the U.S. and the West as enemies.

“Befriending Russia is not a solution for America. In terms of values, Ukraine is much closer to the U.S. than Russia,” he said.

Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, in an interview with Gazeta Wyborcza, said that Ukraine’s defeat would dramatically worsen Poland’s geopolitical outlook. He said that Poland must strategically leverage its key position in the region and continue supporting Ukraine. 

He added that a Ukrainian defeat would “seriously complicate the situation along the Vistula [River].”

Continuing, he said that “building strong, friendly partnerships with a sovereign Ukraine, while keeping our own interests in mind, is a great opportunity for Poland.”

Tusk said that Poland should focus on aiding Ukraine, as defeat would have severe consequences for the country. 

At the same time, he expressed cautious optimism: 

“There are no objective reasons why Ukraine should lose,” Tusk said.