Russian Elites Must Accept Invasion Was a Mistake for War to End Fairly, Sikorski Says

A fair end to Russia’s war against Ukraine will come only when Russia’s elites conclude that the invasion was a mistake and that rebuilding the Russian empire is impossible, Poland’s foreign minister Radosław Sikorski said in an interview with TVP World.

In the premiere of TVP World’s Between the Lines, host Urszula Gacek interviewed Sikorski at his home, discussing the war in Ukraine, the Eastern Partnership, Russian sanctions, Poland’s support for Kyiv, and evolving transatlantic ties. 

Change, pressure and sanctions to end the war 

“We will get a fair solution only once Russian elites have concluded that the original invasion was a mistake and that the aim of rebuilding the Russian empire is unachievable,” Sikorski told TVP World, warning Western partners against seeking quick compromises that could leave Ukraine vulnerable to renewed aggression. 

Sikorski, who also serves as Poland’s deputy prime minister in the centrist, pro-European government led by Donald Tusk, said Russia’s leadership still believes time is on its side despite heavy losses on the battlefield and growing economic pressure.  

He argued that only sustained sanctions and military support for Ukraine could force Moscow to reassess its strategy. 

“What will bring Russia to the table is the further degradation of the Russian economy,” he said. “Putin still dreams of subjugating all of Ukraine, which is not achievable.”  

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Sikorski pointed out that Russia’s limited territorial gains over the past year came at the cost of tens of thousands of soldiers, possibly more than 100,000. At that pace, he said, conquering Ukraine would take decades. 

No Minsk three 

The foreign minister warned against repeating past diplomatic failures, pointing to the Minsk agreements that followed Russia’s earlier aggression against Ukraine in 2014. Those deals, he said, were negotiated over the heads of Central and Eastern European countries and failed to prevent a full-scale invasion in 2022. 

“We don’t need a Minsk three,” Sikorski said. Any settlement, he added, must leave Ukraine with defensible borders and the freedom to integrate with the European Union. “Otherwise, it’s just kicking the can down the road.” 

Poland’s assistance 

Poland, which borders Ukraine and Russia’s Kaliningrad region, has been one of Ukraine’s most active backers.  

Sikorski said Warsaw has delivered about 48 tranches of military assistance and helped finance the purchase of the U.S.-made weapons. He added that Ukraine is now relocating parts of its drone and missile production to Poland, benefiting from EU programs to boost Europe’s defense industry. 

Asked why Poland is not formally included in some diplomatic formats involving the United States, France, Germany and Britain, Sikorski said talks take place in many configurations and that Warsaw remains closely involved, including through security advisers and logistical support.  

He added, however, that Poland’s president has ruled out sending Polish troops to Ukraine, unlike some countries that have said they are willing to send troops in a peace-keeping capacity. 

Sikorski also defended the impact of sanctions, saying it has been necessary to introduce numerous sanctions packages to close loopholes, which, for example, allowed ships to bypass restrictions on Russian oil exports. 

Looking ahead, he said Europe must assume greater responsibility for its own defense regardless of U.S. politics. “We need to build a military that Putin will be reluctant to challenge,” Sikorski said. “Only then will Russia accept that this war was a strategic mistake.”