Radosław Sikorski, the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, voiced a worrying forecast regarding the development of the conflict in Ukraine during an interview on the TVP info channel. According to the Polish diplomat, the upcoming winter could be the last chance for the Russian leadership to attempt to break the resistance of the Ukrainian state. At the same time, Sikorski warned Warsaw and Kyiv about hidden threats emanating from Moscow.
Geopolitical Trap: Enemy Within and Without
Sikorski emphasized that Vladimir Putin remains the only real enemy for both Poland and Ukraine. Despite Moscow's active efforts to inflame relations between Warsaw and Kyiv, the Polish minister urged not to fall for provocations. He reminded that Russian intelligence has historically used the confrontation between Slavic peoples for its own interests.
"Every time in history, starting from the 17th century, Russian agents have incited us against Ukrainians. We cannot be geopolitical fools and fail to understand this logic," stated the Polish Foreign Minister.
The diplomat also warned NATO countries against possible hybrid operations. Sikorski noted that a public warning about such scenarios itself reduces the Kremlin's chances of success in provocations.
Economic Dead End and Gold Sales
Special attention in his speech was paid to the economic state of Russia. According to him, Moscow is showing signs of resource exhaustion. In the first two quarters of the current year, Russia sold 44 tons of gold from its reserves. This is a record figure throughout history, which, in Sikorski's opinion, indicates a critical state of the country's economy.
"This means that Russia is running out of resources. This winter could be Putin's last hope to break Ukraine," he summarized.
Impossibility of Compromise
Separately, Sikorski commented on diplomatic activity, specifically the meeting between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. According to the Polish minister's assessment, it is impossible to resolve key issues in 37 minutes of negotiations.
Sikorski expressed skepticism regarding the possibility of cooperation with Moscow under current conditions. In his opinion, for this to happen, Vladimir Putin would have to admit his mistake and lower his ambitions to seize Ukraine. "But, probably, this will not happen," concluded the minister, adding that the interests of Poland and NATO lie not just in the survival of Ukraine, but in its complete victory.
