KOSTIANTYNIVKA, UKRAINE - OCTOBER 16: Ukrainian soldiers inspect a vehicle recently struck by a Russian FPV kamikaze drone that ambushed them near the frontline on October 16, 2025 in Kostiantynivka, Ukraine. The frontline city of Kostiantynivka lies in ruins after months of relentless Russian assaults, with destroyed buildings, empty streets, and traces of both military presence and civilian survival visible throughout the area. (Photo by Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)

Ukrainian soldiers inspect a vehicle recently struck by a Russian FPV kamikaze drone that ambushed them near the frontline on October 16, 2025 in Kostiantynivka, Ukraine (Picture: Getty)

Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia is preparing to unleash a ‘big war’ on Europe in 2029 or 2030.

Multiple calls for action have been made by high-ranking European defence and intelligence officials, including from the UK, who have said the Kremlin is plotting another land grab on the continent and that Nato members must ready for a ‘war scenario’.

Calling for ‘more pressure on Russia’, the Ukrainian president said: ‘Given the situation on the battlefield, we don’t see Russia wanting to stop.

‘The problem is that when we look at the Russian military industry, we see that they are increasing their production. In our assessment, they want to continue this war.

‘We think that if we push hard, the Russians will need a pause. But we have to recognize that they want a big war, they are preparing to be able to start such a big war in 2029 or 2030 – in this period – on the European continent.’

Nothing that Nato allies have done so far – sanctioning Russia and sending more weapons to Ukraine, or attempts for negotiations – has done the job to stop Vladimir Putin so far, resulting in Zelensky’s push to ‘tackle this big challenge’.

Barely an hour after his statement on Telegram, it was announced that the Ukrainian foreign minister, Andriy Sybiha, will visit London today to meet with his British counterpart.

This dawning recognition that allies urgently need to step up their defence comes as Russia is pushing further into Ukraine.

The fiercest battles are still in the besieged city of Pokrovsk, in the eastern Donetsk region, where close to half of all frontline clashes took place over the previous 24 hours.

Over the past month, the Russian defence ministry has reported capturing nine settlements and villages in Donetsk; eight in the Zaporizhzhia region, seven in the Dnipropetrovsk region and five in the Kharkiv region.

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