Polish PM Tusk warns against 'forever' war in Ukraine

 Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk does not expect lasting peace in Ukraine as long as Russian President Vladimir Putin is in power, he told British newspaper The Sunday Times.

The conflict threatens to become a "permanent forever war" unless something drastic changes in Russia, he said in the interview published on Sunday.

"Now the main question is how many victims we will see," he said.

"I have no doubts that Ukraine will survive as an independent state," Tusk said.

According to the Polish head of government, Russia is facing dramatic economic difficulties, not least due to the new US sanctions against Russian oil companies.

However, the Russians have a great advantage over the West and Europe in particular: "They are ready to fight ... in wartime, this is absolutely the crucial question," Tusk said.

Tusk warned the UK not to succumb to the "sweet illusion" that the war against Ukraine is far away. Russia could reach any European capital, including London, with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles. We are already exposed to massive attacks in cyberspace, Tusk added.

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