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The minster warned that Putin might take dangerous risks as pressure mounts.
Living next door to a giant in trouble rarely brings peace of mind.
When a powerful neighbor faces mounting strain, unpredictable choices often follow.
Eastern Europe is keeping a watchful eye on Moscow as pressure builds behind Kremlin walls.
A sick man
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski recently warned that a squeezed Kremlin might act more recklessly. Speaking to TVP World, he pointed out that ordinary Russians are starting to feel the heavy toll of war on their economy.
Despite Moscow’s troubles, Sikorski stressed that a weaker military does not make Russia harmless.
“A sick man with a gun is still a man with a gun,” he said during the broadcast.
Because of that threat, Poland is pouring huge sums into its military forces. Sikorski explained that Warsaw wants to convince Putin that attacking Poland would cost him far more than his war in Ukraine.
Misjudged power
The Polish minister believes Putin is acting on terrible information. He argued that the Russian leader lacks a realistic view of his current geopolitical standing.
“His capabilities are clearly less than we had thought, but his intent is even worse,” Sikorski stated.
Sikorski also criticized North Korea for sending troops to help Moscow, calling the military alliance “a very nasty example of collaboration between two authoritarian countries.”
He raised doubts about whether sending raw conscripts would actually help Russia on the battlefield, noting that forced recruits lack the drive of paid contract soldiers.
Pressure in Washington
Looking across the Atlantic, Sikorski welcomed recent political developments in the United States. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently visited Washington for the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham and met with President Donald Trump.
“The fact that the US has now recognized that Ukraine has cards and made extraordinarily successful efforts to level the playing field is a good sign,” Sikorski noted.
He urged Trump to honor Graham’s legacy by pushing through a fresh bipartisan sanctions package aimed directly at Russia’s lucrative energy revenues.
For Poland, the goal remains clear. Giving Ukraine stronger support and keeping economic sanctions tight is the only way to make Moscow think twice before taking another desperate gamble.
