Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Monday asserted that Ukraine must be directly involved in any peace negotiations to stop the country’s war with Russia, The Guardian reported. Speaking after a weekend of consultations among European leaders, Tusk warned that allowing Russia to redraw borders by force would set a dangerous precedent as it might give Moscow the idea that it can challenge other countries’ borders “with impunity.”
“For Poland and our European partners, it must be clear that you cannot change borders with force,” he reportedly said, adding, “The West, including European countries, will not accept Russian demands which simply amount to the seizure of Ukrainian territory.”
Strongly rejecting the idea of sidelining Kyiv in talks about Ukraine’s future, Tusk cited Poland’s historical experiences, and said, “From history we know — and Poland has often been a victim of this — that when the great powers decided about other countries without the participation of those countries in negotiations, the consequences were grave.”
UK Doubts Putin’s Intentions
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said President Vladimir Putin cannot be trusted. Responding to questions at a Downing Street briefing, the spokesperson told reporters, “Never trust President Putin as far as you could throw him.”
He added that Britain would support Ukraine and its allies in any talks, but stressed on what he said was the need for building security guarantees into any deal. “We are not going to leave it to trust. We are going to ensure that we are prepared such that we achieve a ceasefire.”
Zelenskyy Says ‘Concessions Do Not Persuade a Killer’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has urged Kyiv’s allies to maintain pressure on Moscow. In a recent social media post, Zelenskyy said Russia continues to prolong the war and ignore global calls to end the violence.
“Another week has ended without any attempt by Russia to agree to the numerous demands of the world and stop the killings,” Zelenskyy said, while rejecting the idea of offering Moscow any concessions. “Russia refuses to stop the killings, and therefore must not receive any rewards or benefits. This is not just a moral position – it is a rational one. Concessions do not persuade a killer.”
Zelenskyy reiterated that his country will continue to work with allies toward what he called “genuine peace – peace through strength.”
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