Volodymyr Zelensky outlined the major threats facing not only Ukraine, but Europe as a whole, and what he sees as the potential solutions during his speech at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.
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.
Here The i Paper looks at five major talking points from Zelensky’s speech.
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.
He suggested Europe would need to provide the bulk of any force to secure peace in Ukraine if a deal is done to end the war, because US support is not guaranteed.
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)Zelensky told the Munich Security Conference: “As we fight this war and lay the groundwork for peace and security, we must build the armed forces of Europe so that Europe’s future depends only on Europeans, and decisions about Europe are made in Europe.”
He said “many leaders” had previously said that Europe “needs its own military, an army, an army of Europe”.
“I really believe that time has come, the armed forces of Europe must be created,” he added.
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.
“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.”
He said that “we can’t rule out the possibility that America might say ‘no’ to Europe on issues that threaten it”.
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
On his Truth Social platform, he said: “We both agreed we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine.
“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.”
Washington has suggested Ukraine will have to cede territory to Russia, but Zelensky said at the conference: “Ukraine will never accept deals made behind our backs without our involvement.”
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.
“No decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine. No decisions about Europe without Europe,” he said.
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.”
He said Vladimir Putin was intent on seeking to “carve up the world”.
Following his phone call with Putin, Trump said the pair had agreed to work closely together and visit each other’s nations.
Zelensky said Putin will try and get Trump standing on Red Square, the landmark site in Moscow, “not as a respected leader but as a prop in his own performance”.
“We don’t need that. We need real success. We need real peace,” Zelensky added.
Trump has said both he and Putin have agreed to travel to each other’s respective countries following their call in the week.
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
Trump has said Nato membership for Ukraine is “not practical” and Hegseth has also indicated Washington does not Nato membership for Ukraine is off the table. However, Zelensky has reiterated his commitment to ensuring his country becomes a member of the alliance.
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 MoreZelensky said he believes Nato membership must be the core any security guarantees for Ukraine.
“Or, if not that, then conditions that allow us to build another Nato right here in Ukraine,” he added.
A decade ago, the Nato alliance agreed a target of spending two per cent of GDP on defence while Donald Trump has called for the target to rise to five per cent.
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 :
- ‘90s Country Star, 60, Shows off Slimmed Down Look at Intimate Show: ‘Beautiful'
- Star-Studded Tribute to Brian Wilson With Tom Hanks, Bruce Springsteen, Michael McDonald, Elton John and More Re-Airing on CBS
- ‘What’s happening in LA is not about LA’ .. AJOPINION