Poland says initiative in war no longer belongs to Russia

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, in an interview with CBS News, expressed his belief that the initiative in the war in Ukraine no longer belongs to Russia. Sikorski noted that Ukraine's successful resistance has denied Russia the resources needed for an effective invasion of NATO's eastern flank.

The minister emphasized that Ukraine has certainly won in the Black Sea, Russia does not have air dominance over Ukraine, and the ground war is stuck. Ukraine appears to have gained fire control over the strategic highway from Donbas to Crimea.

Sikorski added that wars generally do not unfold linearly but pass through phases. "It looks like the phase of Russia having the initiative has ended," he stressed.

Estonia's Ministry of Defence previously stated that Ukraine's ability to launch long-range strikes has put the Kremlin in a difficult position, as Russia's current air defense capabilities are insufficient to protect all facilities.

Media reports also indicate that US President Donald Trump privately advised President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to act "more boldly" towards Russia. According to the Financial Times, Trump also told Zelenskyy that he was impressed by Kyiv's recent military successes.