Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Saturday for the creation of a European army, saying the continent could no longer be sure of protection from the United States and would only get respect from Washington with a strong military.
He also reiterated that Kyiv would never accept any deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war made behind its back and predicted Russian President Vladimir Putin would try to get US President Donald Trump to Moscow’s May 9 World War Two victory anniversary parade “not as a respected leader but as a prop in his own performance”.
In an impassioned speech to the annual Munich Security Conference of global policymakers, Zelensky said an address by US Vice President JD Vance the previous day had made clear the relationship between Europe and the United States was changing.
“Let’s be honest — now we can’t rule out the possibility that America might say no to Europe on issues that threaten it,” said Zelenskiy, speaking as the war triggered by Russia’s invasion of his country will soon enter its fourth year.
“Many, many leaders have talked about (a) Europe that needs its own military and army. An army of Europe. And I really believe the time has come, the armed forces of Europe must be created.”
He said a European army — which would include Ukraine — was necessary so that the continent’s “future depends only on Europeans and decisions about Europeans are made in Europe”.
He continued: “Does America need Europe as a market? Yes. But as an ally? I don’t know. For the answer to be yes, Europe needs a single voice, not a dozen different ones.”
Trump administration officials have made clear in recent days that they expect European allies in Nato to take primary responsibility for their own defence as the US now has other priorities, such as border security and countering China.
They have also said, however, that they remain committed to the Nato transatlantic military alliance. “America needs to see where Europe is heading,” Zelensky said, “and this direction of European policy shouldn’t just be promising, it should make America want to stand with a strong Europe.”
Zelensky seeks ‘security guarantees’
Zelensky said he sought “security guarantees” as he met with the US vice president on Friday to discuss the Trump administration’s efforts to broker a truce deal with Moscow.
Zelensky’s sitdown with Vance at the Munich Security Conference comes as Kyiv scrambles to ensure it is not sidelined in Washington’s push to wrap up the three-year war.
Trump stunned allies and upended the status quo of US support for Ukraine this week when he announced he would likely soon meet Russian leader Vladimir Putin to start truce talks.
Speaking with reporters in Munich, Zelensky stressed the need to “speak more” with the White House before any endgame to the war is formulated.
“We want peace very much but we need real security guarantees,” he said after his first meeting with Vance.
Zelensky’s anxiety was also on display in a preview of his interview with US media outlet NBC, saying Ukraine “will have low, low chance to survive without support of the United States”.
Vance meanwhile described “good conversations” with Zelensky, and acknowledged the administration’s goal of bringing the war to a close.
“We want to achieve a durable, lasting peace, not the kind of peace that’s going to have Eastern Europe in conflict just a couple years down the road,” Vance said as the meeting wrapped up.
Zelensky later wrote on X that an envoy from Washington would visit Kyiv.
“We are ready to move as quickly as possible towards a real and guaranteed peace,” he wrote.
The Ukrainian leader has acknowledged that it was “not very pleasant” that his own phone call with Trump this week came after Putin’s 90-minute call.
US officials have insisted that Ukraine will be not be left in the cold after three years of battling Russia’s invasion. Vance said ahead of the Munich meeting that the United States was prepared to pressure Russia, adding that Europe should “of course” be at the table.
But he also told Europe to “step up” bolstering its own defence to allow Washington to focus on threats elsewhere in the world.
Trump’s phone number
US officials have sent mixed messages over Washington’s strategy after Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth appeared to rule out Ukraine joining Nato or retaking all of its territory.
That has sparked major worries in Kyiv and Europe that Ukraine could be forced into a bad deal that leaves the continent facing an emboldened Putin.
But Vance told the Wall Street Journal that Trump would put everything “on the table” in potential talks, and that Washington could even use “military leverage” against Russia to force a deal.
He did not give more away in a keenly awaited keynote speech, which mostly focused on scolding Europe over immigration and free speech.
Saudi Arabia, after being named by Trump as a likely venue for a meeting with Putin, said it would welcome holding any talks between the two leaders.
Zelensky appeared to address fears that Trump was cutting out Kyiv by saying the US president had given him his personal number when they spoke.
European allies, who along with Washington are Ukraine’s strongest backers, demanded they also be included in negotiations that will impact their continent’s security.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he assured Zelensky that it is “Ukrainians alone who can drive the discussions for a solid and lasting peace” with Russia.
Zelensky said he had discussed with Macron “many important issues, including security guarantees and specific proposals from France”.
In a bid to keep Washington close, Kyiv has held talks over granting access to its rare mineral deposits in return for future US security support.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen warned that forcing Ukraine into a bad deal would harm US interests. “I believe that by working together, we can deliver that just and lasting peace,” she said.
Chernobyl strike
While Europe nervously monitors the US stance on Ukraine, there is little ambiguity on Trump’s determination to get Europe to spend more on its defence.
Fears that Vance could announce a major US troop reduction in Europe did not materialise, but he repeated warnings that Washington needed to focus more on other parts of the globe.
On the sidelines of the conference, Vance also met with the leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), Alice Weidel, according to German press.
It comes as Vance criticised Germany for blocking the far right from possibly sharing power in upcoming elections.
The conservative candidate and poll favourite Friedrich Merz insists he would not govern with the AfD or actively seek its support.
Amid the diplomatic flurry in Munich, Zelensky said that back on the ground in Ukraine a Russian drone had struck a cover built to contain radiation at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, though he added that radiation levels were normal.
The Ukrainian air force said Russia had launched 133 drones across the country overnight, including attack drones, targeting northern regions of the country where the Chernobyl plant lies.
Zelensky said the attack was evidence that “Putin is definitely not preparing for negotiations — he is preparing to continue deceiving the world”.
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