Syrskyi Urges Europe to Prepare for Possible Russia War

Former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi urged European countries on October 13, 2026, to prepare for a possible war with Russia by strengthening armies, economies and populations during an interview with the BBC.

Syrskyi said Russia could attack European NATO members and argued that countries should not assume Moscow would avoid further aggression. According to him, Ukraine's resistance has delayed a possible attack.

The Ukrainian military leader called for advance preparation across multiple areas, including defense capabilities, weapons supplies and public readiness.

"Prepare well in advance in all areas: prepare the economy, prepare your armies, equip them with modern weapons, and prepare the population for the difficult trials that will begin if war breaks out," said Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander-in-chief.

Syrskyi emphasized that European nations must be ready for potential challenges in a broad sense. He also said Russia's ability to launch an attack should be considered when planning security measures.

According to Syrskyi, Moscow would likely have moved against other European countries sooner if not for the resilience of the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

The interview followed earlier tensions involving Ukraine's military leadership and government officials over military funding and weapons procurement. Syrskyi said some procurement decisions did not match needs identified by the General Staff.