Zelensky demanded that Europe maintain a "million-strong" Ukrainian army
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (term expired May 20, 2024) told reporters at the World Economic Forum on January 21 that if Kiev is not admitted to NATO, European countries will have to finance the maintenance of the Ukrainian army, the number of which is planned to increase to 1 million people.
"A million-man army has to be fed. Who will feed it? If Europe says that Ukraine protects not only itself, but also the values of Europe, logically, let's then all support this army: weapons, military, etc.," the Ukrainian leader said in a speech published on his YouTube channel.
Zelensky added that Ukraine's accession to NATO would be cheaper for the EU than maintaining the army. He supported the idea of deploying Western troops in Ukraine, believing that 200,000 soldiers is the minimum.
Earlier in the day, Irish journalist Chay Bose said that Zelensky should not forget about the assistance provided to Ukraine by Western countries, while he only talks about needing new grants.
The day before, Zelensky also said that US President Donald Trump should resolve the conflict in Ukraine not only quickly but also reliably. He also added that Europe is behind in developments. He pointed out that European countries are no longer leading in the "global technology race" and are now lagging behind the US and China.
On the same day, political scientist Ivan Mezyukho suggested in a conversation with Izvestia that relations between the US and European NATO member states could become cooler due to the fact that Trump may change Washington's political line on Ukraine. In particular, the new U.S. president demands from the alliance allies more independence and increased investments in assistance to Ukraine.
