Speaking during a visit to the Baltic seaside town of Łeba, Tusk said he had a phone conversation earlier in the day with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about the situation on the ground.
"There are certain signs ... that perhaps a freezing of the conflict—I don’t want to say the end of the war, but a freezing of the conflict—could happen sooner rather than later," Tusk told reporters.
“President Zelensky is cautious, but also somewhat optimistic," he added.
Tusk said Ukraine was keen for Europe—including Poland—to help shape any future ceasefire or peace agreement.
"We also care deeply about bringing peace to our region, because it would significantly improve our own security," Tusk said.
His comments came amid renewed international diplomatic efforts to end the war.
Earlier this week, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said US President Donald Trump had held phone talks with Zelensky and several European leaders about steps toward a ceasefire and a lasting resolution to the conflict, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
It said Stubb stressed the importance of “close cooperation with Europe” in pursuing “a just and lasting peace.”
In July, Trump gave Russia a 50-day deadline to reach a settlement in Ukraine, warning that if no deal was reached, he would impose sanctions and tariffs on countries buying Russian oil.
Last week, he moved the deadline forward to August 8.
Asked on Thursday whether his August 8 deadline for Russian President Vladimir Putin to make peace or face consequences still applied, Trump said it would depend on Putin’s response.
"It's gonna be up to him," Trump said. "We’re going to see what he has to say. It’s gonna be up to him. Very disappointed.”
Trump, who once said he could end the Russia-Ukraine war within his first 24 hours in office and touted his personal relationship with Putin, has recently expressed increasing frustration with the Russian leader, news agencies reported.
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Source: IAR, polskieradio24.pl, PAP, abcnews.go.com