ISTANBUL

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Sunday Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told him that Kyiv is prepared to continue its fight against Russia for “another two to three years.”

Speaking to The Sunday Times, Tusk said the conversation with Zelenskyy took place on Thursday and centered on the war in Ukraine and the escalating Russian threat to Europe.

“I have no doubt that Ukraine will survive as an independent state,” Tusk said.

“The most important question now is how many more victims we will suffer. President Zelenskyy told me that he hopes the war will not last 10 years, but Ukraine is ready to fight for another two or three years.”

Tusk warned that while Russia, which launched its war on Ukraine in February 2022, faces “dramatic” long-term economic problems, but new US sanctions targeting its oil sector have not yet weakened its military determination.

“The Russians are in really serious economic trouble. Does that mean we can say we're winning? Absolutely not,” he said. “They have one major advantage over the West: they are ready to fight.”

Reflecting on Europe’s response, Tusk said he feels “bitter satisfaction” after years of warning about Moscow’s aggression. “We are talking about the end of an era of illusions in Europe,” he said.

“It’s too late to prepare for all threats, but not too late to survive.”

He also addressed migration, calling mass immigration a challenge to Europe’s internal stability.

He urged EU leaders to reconsider how the European Convention on Human Rights is interpreted, saying governments must have more flexibility to deport convicted criminals and terrorists.