WARSAW – Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Friday expressed deep concerns about the escalating situation in Ukraine, warning that recent events indicate a real risk of a global conflict. His comments came after Russia launched a hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile at a Ukrainian city, an act described by Russian President Vladimir Putin as a direct response to U.S. and UK support for Ukraine’s strikes on Russian territory with advanced Western weapons.
Putin’s statement marked the missile strike as a significant step in turning the conflict into a “global” one. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy condemned the strike, calling it another dangerous escalation, particularly after the deployment of North Korean troops on Russian soil.
Tusk, speaking at a teachers’ conference, emphasized the growing severity of the situation. “The war in the east is entering a decisive phase, we feel that the unknown is approaching,” he stated. “The conflict is taking on dramatic proportions. The last few dozen hours have shown that the threat is serious and real when it comes to global conflict.”
Poland, which shares borders with Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus, has been an ardent advocate for increased defense spending within NATO. The country plans to allocate 4.7% of its GDP to defense in 2025, reflecting its concerns over regional security.
Russia also expressed alarm over a new U.S. ballistic missile defense base being set up in northern Poland, warning that it would heighten nuclear threats. However, Poland dismissed these threats, asserting that Moscow’s actions only reinforced the need for stronger NATO defenses.