Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia is preparing to unleash a ‘big war’ on Europe in 2029 or 2030.
Multiple calls for motion have been made by high-ranking European defence and intelligence officials, including from the UK, who’ve said the Kremlin is plotting one other land grab on the continent and that Nato members must ready for a ‘war scenario’.
Calling for ‘more pressure on Russia’, the Ukrainian president said: ‘Given the situation on the battlefield, we don’t see Russia wanting to stop.
‘The issue is that once we take a look at the Russian military industry, we see that they’re increasing their production. In our assessment, they wish to proceed this war.
‘We expect that if we push hard, the Russians will need a pause. But now we have to acknowledge that they need an enormous war, they’re preparing to give you the chance to begin such an enormous war in 2029 or 2030 – in this era – on the European continent.’
Nothing that Nato allies have done to date – sanctioning Russia and sending more weapons to Ukraine, or attempts for negotiations – has done the job to stop Vladimir Putin to date, leading to Zelensky’s push to ‘tackle this big challenge’.
Barely an hour after his statement on Telegram, it was announced that the Ukrainian foreign minister, Andriy Sybiha, will visit London today to satisfy together with his British counterpart.
This dawning recognition that allies urgently have to step up their defence comes as Russia is pushing further into Ukraine.
The fiercest battles are still within the besieged city of Pokrovsk, within the eastern Donetsk region, where near half of all frontline clashes took place over the previous 24 hours.
Over the past month, the Russian defence ministry has reported capturing nine settlements and villages in Donetsk; eight within the Zaporizhzhia region, seven within the Dnipropetrovsk region and five within the Kharkiv region.
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