If Ukraine does not join NATO as part of the peace agreement, Western support will be needed to maintain an army of 1.5 million soldiers as a deterrent against future Russian aggression, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on February 14th. He spoke to reporters at the Munich Security Council.
This statement arises amid continuing uncertainty regarding the possibility of alternative viable security assurances in Ukraine, given that some Ukrainian members are reluctant to invite them to join the alliance. Masu.
Previous ideas had included the presence of European military forces on Ukraine’s ground, but little progress was made as open signals from Washington did not support the idea.
“It doesn’t matter where these troops come from. Either way, if you’re not in NATO, you’ll need 1.5 million troops,” Zelensky said.
“If we really want to be afraid of new professions and new Russian invasions, these are real security guarantees. (Vladimir) Putin knows he has 1.5 million army. Ukraine has 1.5 million army. To die (in Ukraine), he is welcome to do so,” Zelensky added.
Ukraine currently has 110 combat brigades, while Russia has 220. “So we need 220,” he added.
Ukraine officially applied for participation in NATO in September 2022 following the full-scale Russian invasion. NATO members argued at the 2024 summit in Washington, DC, that the path to membership in Ukraine is “irreversible,” but they have not yet extended their formal invitation.
Ukraine relies on NATO member states for military assistance in defending Russia’s full-scale aggression. Ukraine regularly holds visits and summits with NATO leaders.
“Crazy” Putin could attack NATO in 2026, and Russia could build an army in Belarus, Zelensky says,
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia will deploy a total of 100,000 to 150,000 troops primarily to Belarus.
