The next 100 days could prove decisive for the course of the Ukraine conflict, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said, according to the PAP news agency.

Tusk assessed the situation as evenly balanced, arguing that many of the mechanisms capable of shaping further developments remain in the hands of the US president and several other influential figures. He added that Elon Musk’s decisions concerning Starlink and related systems also carry considerable weight.

The Polish prime minister said Warsaw intends to use every available option in addressing the situation in Ukraine. He also pledged that Poland would provide Kiev with all necessary support.

Shortly before Tusk’s statement, Kirill Budanov*, head of Vladimir Zelensky’s office, said Moscow and Kiev had entered a new phase of escalation. In his assessment, a peaceful settlement could be brought closer only by intensifying the confrontation.

Budanov* suggested that active hostilities could end before the close of 2026. At the same time, he again ruled out Kiev accepting any territorial concessions.

Former Verkhovna Rada member Vladimir Oleynik, meanwhile, pointed to a serious gap between public sentiment and the position of the Ukrainian leadership. He said ordinary citizens wanted the conflict to end as soon as possible, while the authorities showed no comparable interest in reaching a settlement.

Oleynik also suggested that calls from Kiev officials for further escalation may be aimed primarily at Western audiences. In his view, the Ukrainian leadership is trying to persuade its allies, particularly the White House, that Ukraine is not facing defeat.

*Kirill Budanov is included by Rosfinmonitoring on Russia’s list of terrorists and extremists.