The event, which brings together world leaders to discuss pressing issues of international security, saw the Ukrainian president call for Europe to establish its own army and reiterate his stance on Ukraine’s becoming a Nato member.
Volodymyr Zelensky called for the creation of an “army of Europe”, suggesting the continent cannot rely on Donald Trump’s United States for its defence.
It comes after Trump’s repeated criticism of European Nato members’ spending on defence, and a warning from US defence secretary Pete Hegseth that the US will not send army personnel to join peacekeepers in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives for a bilateral meeting with the German Chancellor (Photo by Sven Hoppe / POOL / AFP)He said “many leaders” had previously said that Europe “needs its own military, an army, an army of Europe”.
Questioning if US still an ally to Europe
Zelensky told the gathering in Germany: “Some in Europe may not fully understand what’s happening in Washington right now, but let’s focus on understanding ourselves right here in Europe, we must give strength to Europe first.
“For the answer to be yes. Europe needs a single voice, not a dozen different ones.”
In a post shared on social media on Wednesday, Trump said he and Putin had agreed to begin “negotiations” on ending the Ukraine war in a “lengthy and highly productive phone call”.
square RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR Lammy doubles down on Ukraine's 'irreversible path' to Nato
Read More
“We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelenskyy [sic], of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now.”
He added that the same rule should apply to all of Europe – and if Ukraine is left out of decisions about its future it will lose.
Sending a message to Trump as the US President strives to end the war with Russia, Zelensky said: “If we are left out of decisions and about our own future then we will lose.”
Following his phone call with Putin, Trump said the pair had agreed to work closely together and visit each other’s nations.
“We don’t need that. We need real success. We need real peace,” Zelensky added.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, later said Putin had “invited the US President to visit Moscow”.
Ukraine must enter Nato or a new alliance must be created
He said: “I also will not take Nato membership for Ukraine off the table, but right now the most influential member of Nato seems to be Putin because his whims have the power to block Nato decisions.”
JD Vance suggests loss of free speech in UK is greater threat than Russia
Read More“Or, if not that, then conditions that allow us to build another Nato right here in Ukraine,” he added.
The Secretary General for the military alliance Mark Rutte said Nato members must boost their defence spending by “considerably more than 3 per cent” of GDP.
Trump and Hegseth have ruled out Ukraine joining Nato with the President saying he didn’t see any way “that a country in Russia’s position” could allow it happen.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( The five major talking points from Zelensky’s speech in Munich )
Also on site :