Doomsday Clock Ticks Closer as Kuleba Warns Putin Will Wage War Until Death
The doomsday clock ticks closer as former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba warns that Russian President Vladimir Putin will conduct wars until his death, urging Europe to ready its own security and prosperity.
Kuleba Warns of Perpetual Russian Aggression
Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba states that President Putin has devoted the remainder of his life to waging various wars. [1] Europe must therefore prepare to defend its security and prosperity, according to Kuleba, who served as Ukraine’s foreign minister until September 2024. [1] He notes that supporting Ukraine militarily and economically serves Europe’s direct interest because a Russian victory would make Moscow stronger and bolder while granting access to Ukraine’s resources for use against the rest of Europe. [1] Kuleba adds that the bill Europe would pay in a future war would be many times higher if Russia prevails. [1]
Russia's Shift Away From Europe
Kuleba assesses that Russia is not a democracy and likely never will become one, so Europeans should abandon illusions that Russia is a European nation wishing to live by European principles and standards. [1] He contrasts Tsar Peter the Great, who turned Russia from an eastern direction toward the west, with Vladimir Putin, who has turned Russia from the west back toward the east. [1] The conclusion, Kuleba says, is simple and obvious: Russia does not belong to Europe. [1] Ukraine, he points out, has been at war for 12 years. [1]
Daily Reality of Russian Attacks in Kyiv
Kuleba describes the daily reality in Kyiv where Russian terrorist-style bombings occur almost around the clock. [1] He recounts receiving a message at 8:42 from his wife that their 15-year-old daughter Luba had been collected from school after Russian attacks prevented her from sleeping through the night. [1] Another message arrived at 15:58 reporting an attack and a powerful explosion near their home. [1] Until recently, air-raid sirens sounded only at night, yet the pattern now disrupts civilian life continuously. [1]
Autonomous Drones Accelerating in Ukraine War
Both Russia and Ukraine are rapidly advancing semi-autonomous and fully autonomous drone technologies amid the conflict. [2] Russia has deployed the V2U drone equipped with a small Nvidia computer running AI-enabled decision-making software that enables autonomous selection and engagement of targets without operator intervention after launch. [2] Variants recovered in late 2025 no longer contained external communications systems suggestive of operator control. [2] Ukraine has tested systems that choose targets without human radio connection, including a drone that autonomously selects targets with no radio link to a human pilot during strikes in Russian-occupied Crimea. [2] Ukrainian Ministry of Defense rules still require humans in the loop for combat decisions, while Russian positions emphasize the ability to alter or deactivate systems rather than mandatory human verification of targets before strikes. [2]
Russian Military Losses and European Stakes
Russian forces lost 1,540 soldiers in the past day, bringing total personnel losses since February 2022 to 1,523,980 according to Ukraine’s General Staff. [3] Kuleba argues that current European support remains insufficient and too slow, warning that insufficient aid will lead to far higher future costs if Russia prevails. [1] He notes that wars must be experienced directly because no number of reports prepared by military attachés or embassies can replace experience gained on the contemporary battlefield. [1]
Hybrid Incidents Testing NATO Boundaries
Since 2022, Russia has increased hybrid incidents including cyber attacks, espionage, and drone incursions into NATO airspace over Poland and Romania. [1] Kuleba views these actions as testing European responses and boundaries, with the number of such incidents growing over time. [1] Examples include Russian drones shot down by Romanian F-16 fighters and 15–20 Russian drones without warheads that entered Polish airspace over the past year. [1] He states that a drone incident at Leipzig airport also fits a broader strategy, and it would be naive to assume the next phase will not involve drones carrying real warheads striking targets in Europe. [1]
What to watch next: Observers should continue tracking the expansion of Russian hybrid incidents alongside both sides’ deployment of AI modules that enable drones to guide themselves in the final flight phase after initial human target selection.
