Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he believes it is time for the creation of an “armed forces of Europe”, adding “our army is not enough”.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, the Ukrainian president said Europe cannot rule out the possibility that “America might say no to Europe on issues that threaten it”.
Ukraine has been defending itself from Russia’s land, air and sea invasion for nearly three years.
Mr Zelenskyy noted that many leaders have long spoken about how Europe needs its own military.
“I really believe that time has come,” he told the conference in Germany.
“The armed forces of Europe must be created.”
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during the Munich Security Conference. Pic: Reuters
His comments come after US President Donald Trump held a call with both Mr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week, to try and kickstart a negotiating process to end the war in Ukraine.
Mr Trump then told reporters at the White House that he didn’t see any way “that a country in Russia’s position” could allow Ukraine to join NATO.
He is also pushing for Europe to provide more support for Kyiv, and the US to spend less.
The US president, who was sworn in on 20 January, said his first meeting with the Kremlin leader would “probably” take place soon in Saudi Arabia.
Mr Zelenskyy reacted to Mr Trump’s call with the Russian president by saying the main issue was to “not allow everything to go according to Putin’s plan” – after the US president also said it was unlikely Ukraine would get all of its occupied land back.
In doing so, Trump appeared to have conceded two of Mr Putin’s war aims before talks had even begun.
Mr Trump, meanwhile, sought to reassure Mr Zelenskyy that he too would have a seat at the negotiating table.
“Ukraine will never accept deals made behind our backs without our involvement, and the same rule should apply to all of Europe,” Mr Zelenskyy said at the conference on Saturday.
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