According to a senior British Army official, the United Kingdom is “on an inevitable collision course” with Russia regardless of how the war in Ukraine ends.
General Sir Roly Walker warned that Moscow is still on a war footing and rebuilding its military strength, echoing previous concerns expressed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the Kremlin may be preparing for a larger conflict.
Sir Roly wrote in the Daily Mail: “We, and the West as a whole, are in Russia’s crosshairs. We must accept their terms or not make a deal. This is not going away, but the war in Ukraine has ended.”
He also stated that unless circumstances change, the United Kingdom and Russia will face off. “Unless something changes, I believe we are on a collision course with a Russia that is on a war footing, replenishing lost equipment and rearming itself to be a larger and more lethal set of armed forces,” he stated.
Sir Roly stressed that Russia initiated the war and holds responsibility for ending it. “Russia started this war by invading Ukraine. It seems to me only they can decide to stop it. We need to continue helping Ukraine,” he said.
He also warned that any attempt by Moscow to expand its aggression beyond Ukraine would be met with resistance. “We can also signal to Putin that if he thinks it will be any easier to steal Nato territory, then he is even more stupid than we thought. We will never give up what matters to us.”
Despite the stark assessment, Sir Roly struck a note of confidence, saying that while tensions remain high, the UK would ultimately prevail and that the future “will be on our terms.”
His comments come as Ukraine marks the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, with recent peace talks yielding little progress. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer told cabinet that Vladimir Putin is “standing in the way” of a peace deal and reaffirmed Britain’s commitment to Ukraine “for as long as it takes.”
The war has reached a costly stalemate in many areas, with Russia continuing missile and drone strikes across Ukrainian cities. Analysts estimate that total casualties killed, wounded or missing, on both sides could exceed two million by the spring.
Meanwhile, debate continues over possible terms of a future settlement. Any proposal involving Ukrainian territorial concessions, including parts of the Donbas or Crimea, remains deeply contentious. Although President Zelensky has repeatedly ruled out surrendering land, recent polling suggests some war-weary Ukrainians may consider territorial compromise if it guarantees long-term security.
As the conflict enters its fifth year, Western leaders continue to weigh military support and deterrence measures, amid growing concern that the broader confrontation between Russia and NATO may persist well beyond the battlefield in Ukraine.