As the war that is raging between Ukraine and Russia is entering a prolonged phase official in the European Union have issued a harsh assessment, suggesting that the war is likely to last for at most two more years. The outlook is based on an impasse on the battlefield, in which neither side is ready for a decisive victory the recent tensions have heightened the tensions throughout the continent.
The situation is becoming more tensions as Russian forces acting with greater aggression. This week, during the night of September 10th 2025 Russia has launched an extensive drone attack that involved the use of 19 aerial drones that were unmanned aimed at Poland as one of the NATO members state. Polish defenses were able to stop only four of the drones, but fragments were scattered over three towns and 11 administrative regions. The drones have been identified as being a unique model that mimics other models, making it more difficult to stop the drones. In the aftermath of the attack, Poland has urgently requested further air defense support from NATO with the help of sophisticated Patriot systems. It has also proposed the idea of a large-scale “drone wall” to safeguard against any future threats.
On the frontlines in Ukraine the fighting is inexhaustible. In the last 24 hours there have been over 200 actual battles were reported across different areas as well as Russian troops carrying out dozens of airstrikes and missiles, in addition to the deployment of more than thousands of kamikaze drones. Ukrainian defence forces have held their ground and successfully repelled attacks from all directions, and inflicting massive losses, with an estimated number of 990 Russian soldiers killed in the brief time. This pattern of intense battles that are at war highlights this deadlock which has been defining the war for months.
Addressing European parliamentarians on 9 September 2025 the EU’s top representative stressed Russia’s inability to reach an agreement to end the war. She said she believes that the Russian leader has no genuine desire to end war and will only stop operations if forced to take action. In spite of these difficulties she also affirmed Europe’s steadfast determination, pointing out that Russian efforts haven’t succeeded in diminish Ukraine’s resolve, or the determination any of their allies. In her discussions with the other participants she laid out realistic expectations for the future course of the war which suggested it could continue for several more years in the current circumstances. She also spoke of unsuccessful diplomatic efforts, such as ones that involved the former U.S. leadership, which haven’t led to progress towards resolution.
If we look ahead, a terrifying possibility is looming: Ukraine might eventually need to surrender control of certain regions to ensure a sense of peace. Analysts agree that a meaningful reduction in violence is unlikely without a change in the leadership of both sides, as firmly-held positions remain in place to exacerbate the violence cycle. The issue is further complicated by the external influence, specifically from China that has offered support to Russia as well as employing economic tactics that have strained international relations. The EU is, however, struggling with internal divisions about how to deal with these global trends in a coherent manner.
The ongoing conflict not only test the resilience of Ukraine, but presents a greater security risk to Europe which is leading to calls for increased security and military support. As the conflict continues to escalate and the focus is on strengthening Ukraine’s position in order to force an agreement and the way ahead is uncertain.
