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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany, February 15, 2025. [Sven Hoppe\/Reuters]<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 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.<\/p>\n
He also said 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\u2019s May 9 World War Two victory anniversary parade \u201cnot as a respected leader but as a prop in his own performance\u201d.<\/p>\n
In an impassioned speech to the annual Munich Security Conference of global policymakers, Zelenskyy 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s be honest \u2013 now we can\u2019t rule out the possibility that America might say no to Europe on issues that threaten it,\u201d said Zelenskiy, speaking as the war triggered by Russia\u2019s invasion of his country will soon enter its fourth year.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany, 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said a European army \u2013 which would include Ukraine \u2013 was necessary so that the continent\u2019s \u201cfuture depends only on Europeans \u2013 and decisions about Europeans are made in Europe\u201d.<\/p>\n
He continued: \u201cDoes America need Europe as a market? Yes. But as an ally? I don\u2019t know. For the answer to be yes, Europe needs a single voice, not a dozen different ones.\u201d<\/p>\n
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 had other priorities, such as border security and countering China.<\/p>\n
They have also said, however, that they remain committed to the NATO transatlantic military alliance.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmerica needs to see where Europe is heading,\u201d Zelenskyy said, \u201cand this direction of European policy shouldn\u2019t just be promising, it should make America want to stand with a strong Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trump shocked European allies by calling Putin this week without consulting them beforehand and declaring an immediate start to Ukraine peace talks.<\/p>\n
Zelenskyy told the conference that he believed it would be \u201cdangerous\u201d if Trump met Putin before he and Trump meet.<\/p>\n
Ukraine has repeatedly said it wants to come together with the United States and Europe to devise a joint strategy before any Trump-Putin meeting.<\/p>\n
The Trump administration so far has left the impression among some European allies that it was making concessions to Putin at Ukraine\u2019s expense before any negotiations begin, though remarks by some top US officials have raised confusion.<\/p>\n
You could be next, Zelenskyy warns<\/h3>\n
Zelenskyy also warned European leaders that their countries could be next to face a Russian attack.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf this (Ukraine-Russia) war ends the wrong way, he (Putin) will have a surplus of battle-tested soldiers who know nothing but killing and looting,\u201d he said, citing intelligence reports indicating Russia will dispatch troops to close ally Belarus, another neighbour of Ukraine, this summer.<\/p>\n
European nations cooperate militarily primarily within NATO but governments have so far rejected various calls for the creation of a single European army over the years, arguing that defence is a matter of national sovereignty.<\/p>\n
Zelenskyy argued that Europe building up military strength would be good not only for security but also for the continent\u2019s economy. \u201cThis isn\u2019t just about stockpiling weapons, it\u2019s about jobs, technological leadership and economic trends for Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n
A senior official from an eastern member state of the European Union cast scepticism on Zelenkyy\u2019s proposal for a European army, saying: \u201cThere is a European military force called NATO.\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking to Reuters, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said he believed Washington would continue to support Ukraine.<\/p>\n
Asked about Zelenskyy\u2019s call for a European army, he would not go into specifics but said: \u201cWe are already supporting the Ukrainian army with our weapons. We are ready to do what we need to do, to support it before this ceasefire in Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also told Europeans to get their acts together \u2013 but on Ukraine talks.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd to my European friends, I would say, get into the debate, not by complaining that you might, yes or no, be at the table, but by coming up with concrete proposals, ideas, ramp up (defence) spending,\u201d he said in Munich.<\/p>\n
In a sign that there is still some degree of international cooperation in the new Trump era, G7 foreign ministers \u2013 including the US \u2013 agreed on Saturday on a statement in which they pledged to continue working together to get a durable peace deal for Ukraine with robust security guarantees.<\/p>\n
The G7, which includes France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Japan, Britain and the EU, said such guarantees would be meant to \u201censure the war will not begin again\u201d.\u202f [Reuters]
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