Before war fatigue sets in further, a rethink needed to avoid a years-long conflict

Speaking at a private dinner in London recently, a senior serving British military officer argued the west had no choice but to see Ukraine as just one phase in a decade-long battle with Russia. “If Ukraine wins, Russia will never accept that. If Russia wins, it will go further,” he warned.

Yet in Whitehall they fear the “F word” – fatigue – and worry that the west with its TikTok-attention span and bias towards instant gratification does not have the resolve for the years-long sacrifice required to defeat Russia, or even stem the military tide in the villages of eastern Ukraine.

Zelenskiy welcomes approval of Ukraine’s application to join EU as ‘historic moment’ while battle for two key cities in eastern Ukraine edges towards ‘fearsome climax’

• See all our Ukraine coverage

Historic decision from the EU brings Ukraine a huge step closer to full membership; Reports say missiles hit southern port city

• British citizens and Moroccan sentenced to death preparing appeal
• Finland ready to fight Russian attack, says armed forces chief
• British man facing death sentence told: ‘Time is running out’
• At a glance: what we know on day 120 of the invasion

Russia’s Tass news agency is carrying a report that British citizens Sean Pinner and Aiden Aslin, alongside Moroccan Saadoun Brahim, are preparing an appeal against their death sentences.

Tass quotes Pinner’s lawyer Yulia Tserkovnikova saying “my colleagues and I are preparing the full text of the appeal against the verdict in the interests of our clients.”