Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that Russia is planning a terror campaign of bombs on “airlines around the world” at a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during his visit to Poland on January 15.

"I will not go into details, I can only confirm the validity of fears that Russia was planning acts of air terror, not only against Poland, but against airlines around the world," Tusk said, as cited by AP.

Tusk and Zelenskiy have regularly accused the Kremlin of acts of terrorism, targeting civilians in the war in Ukraine and assassinating spies in European capitals with radioactive tea. However, Tusk suggested the

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that Russia is planning a terror campaign of bombs on “airlines around the world” at a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during his visit to Poland on January 15.

"I will not go into details, I can only confirm the validity of fears that Russia was planning acts of air terror, not only against Poland, but against airlines around the world," Tusk said, as cited by AP.

Tusk and Zelenskiy have regularly accused the Kremlin of acts of terrorism, targeting civilians in the war in Ukraine and assassinating spies in European capitals with radioactive tea. However, Tusk suggested the Kremlin was planning to take its assault on Europe up to a new level by placing bombs on international air carriers.

The warning comes after Western security officials suspected Russian intelligence was behind a plot to place an incendiary device in cargo planes flying to North America. The devices were discovered after one caught fire in Germany while still on the ground and another that burst into flames in a warehouse in England last year.

Russia and Poland have been bitter enemies since WWII and frequently trade barbs. Poland's Foreign Ministry shuttered one of its three consulates in Russia last year following what it claims were arson and sabotage attacks sponsored by Moscow.

Accelerated EU accession

Tusk vowed to use Poland’s presidency of the EU, which began on January 1, to speed up Ukraine’s accession to the EU. Ukraine was admitted as a candidate member on June 22, 2022, together with Moldova, and the formal negotiations on membership began last summer. However, EU officials have warned the lengthy membership approval process could take as long as a decade to complete. Tusk promised to curtail that process, while he serves as the head of the EU Council.

"We will break the standstill we have in this issue," Tusk told reporters in Warsaw. "We will accelerate the accession process."

Zelenskiy had travelled to Warsaw for talks with Tusk to cement relations ahead of the new Trump administration as he tries to rally his Western allies in the face of President-elect Donald Trump’s threats to force a rapid end to the conflict. Tusk and Zelenskiy reached a key agreement on January 10 that puts an end to a long standing dispute over the remains of tens of thousands of Poles massacred by Ukrainian forces during WWII.

"I believe we must move forward together with Poland. We are neighbours, and Russia is the main threat. This threat exists today, it will exist tomorrow, and we must do everything to strengthen our alliance,” Zelenskiy said at the joint press conference.

Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said on Telegram ahead of the meeting that the leaders had a broad agenda and would discuss "war, weapons, sanctions, history, [and] weakening of Russian energy as a tool for financing the war".

Ukraine ended its Russian gas transit deal to Europe on January 1 that will cut Russia’s income by some $6.5bn of EU sales. It also launched an unsuccessful drone attack on the one remaining pipeline connecting Russia’s Siberian gas fields to Europe via the TurkStream pipeline at the start of this week.

Massacre row ended

Poland has been one of Ukraine’s most ardent supporters in its struggle against Russia, but the relations between Warsaw and Kyiv have been strained by unresolved resentments left over from WWII.

The ire centres on the Volhynia massacres of 1943–1945, carried out by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), resulting in the deaths of more than 100,000 Poles, according to Polish estimates. An estimated 15,000 Ukrainians were killed in retaliation. Nationalists were seeking to establish an independent Ukraine state. Kyiv has never apologised for the atrocity, irking Warsaw.

Poland has long sought unfettered access to burial sites within Ukraine to exhume and properly intern the remains of Polish victims – permission that has not been forthcoming until now.

The dispute resonates deeply in Poland, particularly as opposition presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki, head of the National Remembrance Institute (IPN), has prioritised historical grievances in his bid for the top job in upcoming elections in May. Tusk's candidate in a presidential election is expected to face a strong challenge from a nationalist opposition candidate.

However, the issue is almost settled after Prime Minister Tusk hailed Ukraine’s decision to permit initial exhumations following talks with Zelenskiy last week as a “breakthrough” in bilateral ties. Exhumations are due to start in April the local press reports.

"Finally a breakthrough. There is a decision on the first exhumations of Polish victims of the UPA," Tusk posted on X on January 10, referring to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. "I thank the ministers of culture of Poland and Ukraine for their good cooperation. We are waiting for further decisions." The Volhynia massacres occurred in a region that was part of Poland before World War II and later annexed by the Soviet Union. In 2013, the Polish parliament officially characterised the atrocities as “ethnic cleansing bearing the hallmarks of genocide.” Ukraine, however, has disputed this classification, framing the events as part of a broader conflict that inflicted suffering on both Polish and Ukrainian communities.

Tusk has promised to put maintaining support for Ukraine’s struggle at the top of the Polish agenda as well as strengthening the EU’s security framework in the face of an expected reduction of support by the incoming Trump administration.

Fico meeting with Zelenskiy cancelled

The meeting between Tusk and Zelenskiy follows on from Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico refusal to meet the Ukrainian president this week. Relations between Bratislava and Kyiv have become strained after Ukraine ended the gas transit deal, signed with Russia in 2019 at the start of this year. Slovakia remains heavily dependent on Russian piped gas supplies.

Fico proposed Ukraine turn the gas back on in a video post on January 13. Zelenskiy responded a few hours later on X, saying: "Okay. Come to Kyiv on Friday." Fico’s spokesperson announced the next day that Fico has refused the offer.

Fico has threatened to limit aid to Ukraine and cut off electricity supplies in retaliation for the end of deliveries of Russian gas via Ukraine. Zelenskiy said that Ukraine had offered Slovakia assistance for the adaptation period, but "Fico arrogantly refused." Fico estimates Slovakia's losses from the end of Russian gas supplies via Ukraine at €500mn per year. Fico, and his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orban, have been among the most vocal critics of Ukraine's decision to stop Russian gas transit.

While Europe has tried to reduce its dependency, the EU remains hooked on Russian gas. In 2024 Russian gas supplies to the EU were up 14% year on year at 32.1bn cubic metres, according to data from Gazprom and the European Network of Gas Transmission System Operators (ENTSOG) reports Vedomosti. This year, Europe will have to increase imports by as much as 10mn tonnes of LNG (13.6 bcm) to refill gas storage tanks, which are emptying faster than usual, due to colder weather.

Kremlin was planning to take its assault on Europe up to a new level by placing bombs on international air carriers.

The warning comes after Western security officials suspect Russian intelligence was behind a plot to place an incendiary device in cargo planes flying to North America. The devices were discovered after one caught fire in Germany while still on the ground and another that burst into flames in a warehouse in England last year.

Russia and Poland have been bitter enemies since WWII and frequently trade barbs. Poland's Foreign Ministry shuttered one of its three consulates in Russia last year following what it claims were arson and sabotage attacks sponsored by Moscow.

Accelerated EU accession

Tusk vowed to use Poland’s presidency of the EU, which began on January 1, to speed up Ukraine’s accession to the EU. Ukraine was admitted as a candidate member on June 22, 2022, together with Moldova, and the formal negotiations on membership began last summer. However, EU officials have warned the lengthy membership approval process could take as long as a decade to complete. Tusk promised to curtail that process, while he serves as the head of the EU Council.

"We will break the standstill we have in this issue," Tusk told reporters in Warsaw. "We will accelerate the accession process."

Zelenskiy had travelled to Warsaw for talks with Tusk to cement relations ahead of the new Trump administration as he tries to rally his Western allies in the face of President-elect Donald Trump’s threats to force a rapid end to the conflict. Tusk and Zelenskiy reached a key agreement on January 10 that puts an end to a long standing dispute over the remains of tens of thousands of Poles massacred by Ukrainian forces during WWII.

"I believe we must move forward together with Poland. We are neighbours, and Russia is the main threat. This threat exists today, it will exist tomorrow, and we must do everything to strengthen our alliance,” Zelenskiy said at the joint press conference.

Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said on Telegram ahead of the meeting that the leaders had a broad agenda and would discuss "war, weapons, sanctions, history, [and] weakening of Russian energy as a tool for financing the war".

Ukraine ended its Russian gas transit deal to Europe on January 1 that will cut Russia’s income by some $6.5bn of EU sales. It also launched an unsuccessful drone attack on the one remaining pipeline connecting Russia’s Siberian gas fields to Europe via the TurkStream pipeline at the start of this week.

Massacre row ended

Poland has been one of Ukraine’s most ardent supporters in its struggle against Russia, but the relations between Warsaw and Kyiv have been strained by unresolved resentments left over from WWII.

The ire centres on the Volhynia massacres of 1943–1945, carried out by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), resulting in the deaths of more than 100,000 Poles, according to Polish estimates. An estimated 15,000 Ukrainians were killed in retaliation. Nationalists were seeking to establish an independent Ukraine state. Kyiv has never apologised for the atrocity, irking Warsaw.

Poland has long sought unfettered access to burial sites within Ukraine to exhume and properly intern the remains of Polish victims – permission that has not been forthcoming until now.

The dispute resonates deeply in Poland, particularly as opposition presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki, head of the National Remembrance Institute (IPN), has prioritised historical grievances in his bid for the top job in upcoming elections in May. Tusk's candidate in a presidential election is expected to face a strong challenge from a nationalist opposition candidate.

However, the issue is almost settled after Prime Minister Tusk hailed Ukraine’s decision to permit initial exhumations following talks with Zelenskiy last week as a “breakthrough” in bilateral ties. Exhumations are due to start in April the local press reports.

"Finally a breakthrough. There is a decision on the first exhumations of Polish victims of the UPA," Tusk posted on X on January 10, referring to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. "I thank the ministers of culture of Poland and Ukraine for their good cooperation. We are waiting for further decisions." The Volhynia massacres occurred in a region that was part of Poland before World War II and later annexed by the Soviet Union. In 2013, the Polish parliament officially characterised the atrocities as “ethnic cleansing bearing the hallmarks of genocide.” Ukraine, however, has disputed this classification, framing the events as part of a broader conflict that inflicted suffering on both Polish and Ukrainian communities.

Tusk has promised to put maintaining support for Ukraine’s struggle at the top of the Polish agenda as well as strengthening the EU’s security framework in the face of an expected reduction of support by the incoming Trump administration.

Fico meeting with Zelenskiy cancelled

The meeting between Tusk and Zelenskiy follows on from Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico refusal to meet the Ukrainian president this week. Relations between Bratislava and Kyiv have become strained after Ukraine ended the gas transit deal, signed with Russia in 2019 at the start of this year. Slovakia remains heavily dependent on Russian piped gas supplies.

Fico proposed Ukraine turn the gas back on in a video post on January 13. Zelenskiy responded a few hours later on X saying: "Okay. Come to Kyiv on Friday." Fico’s spokesperson announced the next day that Fico has refused the offer.

Fico has threatened to limit aid to Ukraine and cut off electricity supplies in retaliation for the end of deliveries of Russian gas via Ukraine. Zelenskiy said that Ukraine had offered Slovakia assistance for the adaptation period, but "Fico arrogantly refused." Fico estimates Slovakia's losses from the end of Russian gas supplies via Ukraine at €500mn per year. Fico, and his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orban, have been among the most vocal critics of Ukraine's decision to stop Russian gas transit.

While Europe has tried to reduce its dependency, the EU remains hooked on Russian gas. In 2024 Russian gas supplies to the EU were up 14% y/y to 32.1bcm, according to data from Gazprom and the European Network of Gas Transmission System Operators (ENTSOG) reports Vedomosti. This year, Europe will have to increase imports by as much as 10mn tonnes of LNG (13.6bcm) to refill gas storage tanks, which are emptying faster than usual, due to colder weather.