Sanctions stay on the table

Prime Minister Donald Tusk used his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to rule out any softening of pressure on Moscow. He said the European Union's position on Russian aggression remains unchanged, even though conditions for making decisions at European level are difficult right now. Tusk argued that the bloc would not finance Russia's war machine, and that nothing able to help Vladimir Putin and Russia keep fighting would be acceptable to Europe. He presented these as decisions that depend on the whole EU rather than on Poland alone.

“There is absolutely no reason why the European Union should weaken sanctions against Russia.”

Talks moved to the evening

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the European Council summit in Brussels on Thursday, 15 October 2026. It had been scheduled for 15:30, but the start was pushed back because the leaders' deliberations dragged on into the evening. Afterwards Tusk posted a joint photograph with Zelensky on social media, along with a message about the relationship between the two countries. In that message he wrote that the two are more than neighbours and that no one will ever change their friendship. Earlier the same day he had also written on X that Ukraine is not alone, following his talks with European leaders.

“We are not just neighbours. We are friends who can count on each other in difficult times, and no one will ever change that.”

Zelensky's thanks

Zelensky thanked Tusk personally, his team and his government, as well as all of Poland, for standing by Ukraine. He called Russia's war against Ukraine absolutely barbaric and said the recent months had been very hard, with attacks continuing around the clock, by night and by day. He acknowledged that some issues still need to be raised directly between the two leaders. He also spoke of the realities Ukrainians face every day and of the importance of European cooperation and of deepening ties with Warsaw.

“We are very grateful for everything, because it is really very hard to defend our country against these massive attacks.”

Ukraine's agenda for Friday

Zelensky arrived in Brussels with his delegation at the invitation of European Council President Antonio Costa. On Thursday, 15 October 2026, he was also due to speak with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, French President Emmanuel Macron and the prime ministers of Denmark and Belgium, and to be received by King Philippe of the Belgians. On Friday, 16 October, he is scheduled to meet Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the prime ministers of Hungary, Finland and Sweden. At the summit that day he plans to set out Ukraine's needs before winter, including stronger air defence and protection of energy infrastructure. Ukraine's foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv's priorities are reinforced air defence, especially against ballistic missile strikes, tougher sanctions on Russia, and progress on using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine's defence. Sybiha said Moscow cannot expect bombing to push Ukraine into concessions or to wait out Europe's determination to help.