War in Ukraine may last three more years, Europe must prepare, says Polish FM
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski in London (photo: Getty Images).
Ukrainians plan to fight Russia for another three years, and European countries must be prepared for the possibility that Russia could strike deep into the region, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski told Reuters.
During a presentation in London of the Iranian Shahed-136 drone shot down in Ukraine, Sikorski called the refusal to build defense systems such as a drone wall in the east an "irresponsible" step.
The minister urged to "stay the course" in supporting Kyiv and expressed hope that US President Donald Trump would provide Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles to strengthen strikes on Russian infrastructure.
In his opinion, to protect Europe, it is necessary to supply Ukraine with more ammunition, air defense systems, and short- and medium-range weapons — especially considering the presence of aircraft and drones over NATO countries.
Sikorski noted that it is not yet clear whether the drones over Copenhagen were Russian, but emphasized the threat.
He said that Russia could, "reach, unfortunately, deep into Europe" and that Europe must be ready to counter it.
The minister also reminded that it is necessary to develop capabilities to detect and destroy drones and called on Europe to plan support for Ukraine for another 3 years — the period that, according to him, Kyiv is also counting on.
"The Ukrainians have been planning this war for three years, which is prudent. And we need to convince Putin (Russian President Vladimir Putin — ed.) that we are ready to stay the course for at least those three years," Sikorski stressed.
What is known about the drone wall
NATO and the EU are working on creating a so-called drone wall. As NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated, the Alliance will provide military capabilities, while the EU will supply funding.
Earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed creating a drone wall to protect against Russian drones.
The EU has emphasized that member states must quickly strengthen their defenses against drones due to recent airspace violations in several countries, which is why the initiative has been supported.
Recently, the European Commission proposed expanding the drone wall initiative along Europe's eastern flank to protect the entire continent, amid concerns that some regions feel left out.
