![\"Zelenskyy,](\"https:\/\/www.ekathimerini.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/zelenskyy-scholz-munich-EPA-320x200.jpg?v=1739635882\")
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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (R) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (L) shake hands as they meet for talks at the Munich Security Conference (MSC), in Munich, Germany, 15 February 2025. [Sven Hoppe\/EPA]<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Two top European leaders stiffened their spines Saturday over unsettling new policies from Washington under President Donald Trump, as Ukraine\u2019s president urged creation of an \u201carmed forces of Europe\u201d and the leader of Germany denounced meddling in its election after US Vice President JD Vance met with a German far-right leader.<\/p>\n
Strident speeches from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Day 2 of the Munich Security Conference testified to the impact of a blizzard of Trump decisions that have resonated at home and in Europe, notably his hopes to end the Russia-Ukraine war and nurture perceived allies on the continent.<\/p>\n
Ramping up his desire for a more muscular and mighty Europe, Zelenskyy said Ukraine\u2019s three-year fight against an invading Russian army has proved that a foundation exists for the creation of a European army that has long been discussed among some continental leaders.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really believe that time has come,\u201d he said. \u201cThe armed forces of Europe must be created.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s unclear whether the idea will catch on with European leaders. Zelenskyy has sought greater military and economic support from the European Union for years and repeatedly warned that other parts of Europe could be vulnerable to Russia\u2019s expansionist ambitions too.<\/p>\n
While the bloc \u2014 along with the United States \u2013 has been one of Kyiv\u2019s strongest backers, pockets of political disagreement in EU over its approach to Moscow and economic realities, including national debt levels that have crimped defense spending, have gotten in the way of greater support.<\/p>\n
Zelenskyy alluded to a phone conversation between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin this week, after which Trump said he and Putin would likely meet soon to negotiate a peace deal over Ukraine \u2014 breaking with the Biden administration\u2019s harder line against Moscow over Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.<\/p>\n
Trump later assured Zelenskyy that he, too, would have a seat at the table to end the war. The Ukrainian leader insisted Europe should also have one.<\/p>\n
\u201cUkraine will never accept deals made behind our backs without our involvement, and the same rule should apply to all of Europe,\u201d Zelenskyy said. \u201cA few days ago, President Trump told me about his conversation with Putin. Not once did he mention that America needs Europe at the table. That says a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe old days are over when America supported Europe just because it always had.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zelenskyy insisted that \u201cthree years of full-scale war have proven that we already have the foundation for a united European military force. And now, as we fight this war and lay the groundwork for peace and security, we must build the armed forces of Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Noting the presence of NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in the audience, Zelenskyy said his idea \u201cwasn\u2019t about replacing the alliance. This is about making Europe\u2019s contribution to our partnership equal to America\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n
German chancellor responds to Vance<\/h3>\n
Earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was \u201cpleased\u201d at what he called a shared commitment with the United States to the \u201cpreserving the sovereign independence of Ukraine,\u201d and agreed with Trump that the Russia-Ukraine war must end.<\/p>\n
But Scholz also took aim at the new political tack from Washington, affirming his strong stance against the far-right and said his country won\u2019t accept people who \u201cintervene in our democracy\u201d \u2014 alluding to remarks by US Vice President JD Vance who scolded European leaders over their approach to democracy.<\/p>\n
Ahead of Feb. 23 elections in Germany, polls show the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party \u2014 whose co-leader met with Vance on Friday \u2014 currently in second, ahead of Scholz\u2019s own Social Democrats.<\/p>\n
Alluding to Germany\u2019s Nazi past, Scholz said the longstanding commitment to \u201cNever Again\u201d \u2014 a return to the extreme right \u2014 was not reconcilable with support for AfD.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will not accept that people who look at Germany from the outside intervene in our democracy and our elections and in the democratic opinion-forming process in the interest of this party,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s just not done, certainly not amongst friends and allies. We resolutely reject this.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere our democracy goes from here is for us to decide,\u201d Scholz added.<\/p>\n
A day earlier, Vance that he fears free speech is \u201cin retreat\u201d across the continent.<\/p>\n
He said that many Americans saw in Europe \u201centrenched interests hiding behind ugly Soviet-era words like misinformation and disinformation, who simply don\u2019t like the idea that somebody with an alternative viewpoint might express a different opinion or, God forbid, vote a different way, or even worse, win an election.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vance also said no democracy could survive telling millions of voters that their concerns \u201care invalid or unworthy of even being considered.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scholz, shooting back, said \u201cfree speech in Europe means that you are not attacking others in ways that are against legislation and laws we have in our country.\u201d He was referring to rules in Germany that restrict hate speech.<\/p>\n
Sizing up the new US administration on Ukraine<\/h3>\n
European leaders have been trying to make sense of a tough new line from Washington on issues including democracy and Ukraine\u2019s future, as the Trump administration continues to upend transatlantic conventions that have been in place since after World War II.<\/p>\n
Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump\u2019s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, all but cut out Europeans from any Ukraine-Russia talks, despite Zelenskyy\u2019s call for Europe to take part.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can have the Ukrainians, the Russians, and clearly the Americans at the table talking,\u201d Kellogg said at an event hosted by a Ukrainian tycoon, before being pressed whether that meant the Europeans will not be included. \u201cI\u2019m a school of realism. I think that\u2019s not going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to ensure Ukrainian sovereignty,\u201d he said, before adding: The \u201cEuropean alliance \u2026 are going to be critical to this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kristr\u00fan Frostad\u00f3ttir, the prime minister of Iceland, lamented a lack of clarity from Washington.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are still not sure what the US wants to do. And I think it would be good if we came out of this conference if they had a clear picture of it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
[AP]<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n