Tusk: Russia seriously preparing for war escalation, next months seen as critical

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said there are signs that Russia is seriously preparing to escalate military tensions. According to Tusk, the next seven to eight months could become critical not only for Ukraine but also for Poland and the entire region.

Tusk noted that in recent weeks several public signals have emerged pointing to Russia's preparations to escalate the situation, both in its war against Ukraine and more broadly across the region. In his view, this autumn and winter will be a decisive period for Russia.

Cooperation with the CIA

The Polish prime minister also said his country maintains constant contact with the leadership of the US Central Intelligence Agency, which is why reports about the recent activities of CIA Director John Ratcliffe came as no surprise to Poland. Tusk added that some security-related information must remain confidential, but this does not mean the public should be denied information about the most serious threats.

He stressed that the issue is no longer limited to the CIA director's visit to Moscow.

Warning over the Baltic states

As previously reported, CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned Russian officials during his visit to Moscow against escalating the conflict with NATO, particularly with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The news outlet Politico reported this on Wednesday, citing two informed sources. According to one of the sources, the main purpose of the visit was to warn against escalatory actions targeting the Baltic states.