Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that the Russian war aimed at exhausting the Ukrainian economy "appears to be entering a decisive phase." He told journalists in the corridors of the Carpathian States summit, as reported by RBC-Ukraine and UNIAN. According to the Polish leader, "heavy and difficult weeks and months" lie ahead — not only for Ukraine but for all of its allies as well.
The decisive phase of the war of attrition
Tusk emphasized that the nature of Russian pressure is changing: attacks are now directed not only at destroying energy infrastructure but also at Ukrainian industry. Thus, according to Warsaw's assessment, Moscow is deliberately seeking to undermine Kyiv's economic resilience, forcing it and its partners into prolonged resistance amid systematic strikes on the country's industrial and energy base.
Scenarios at the Polish border
Speaking about the situation near the Polish border, the prime minister noted that recent events are cause for concern. At the same time, he stressed that Poland and other countries "are already preparing for various scenarios, including more dramatic ones." "We are talking about possible scenarios, not about what will definitely happen… today no one can say with one hundred percent certainty what will happen," Tusk added, not ruling out the possibility of further escalation.
Warsaw's reaction to the strike on Yagodin
Earlier, following Russian strikes on the Yagodin station near the Polish border, Donald Tusk urgently convened a meeting with the participation of ministers, government representatives, the army, and intelligence services. At that time, the Polish prime minister warned that the coming months would be a period of intensified Russian action, and did not rule out that the escalation could affect Polish territory as well. The statement in the corridors of the Carpathian States summit confirms that the security of the eastern flank remains at the center of Warsaw's agenda.
Taken together, Tusk's remarks mark a shift in the rhetoric of the Polish leadership: from tactical assessments to an acknowledgment that the conflict has entered a phase in which the key factor becomes the economic exhaustion of Ukraine and the readiness of allies for prolonged pressure. For Kyiv and its partners, this means the need to plan support for months ahead, not weeks.
