Zelenskyy urged for a European army, arguing Europe can’t solely rely on Washington for defence.
Zelenskyy believes Donald Trump could push Vladimir Putin into peace negotiations but cautions against trusting Putin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes Russia is preparing to “wage war” against a weakened Nato should President Donald Trump dilute US support for the alliance.
In an interview with broadcaster NBC on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Zelenskyy also said Trump had the leverage to push Vladimir Putin into ceasefire negotiations over Ukraine, but warned the Russian leader should never be trusted.
“We believe that Putin will wage war against Nato,” Zelenskyy told the network in an interview aired on Sunday.
He suggested Putin may be waiting “for a weakening of Nato”, which could be triggered by the possibility “that the United States of America will think to take its military from Europe”.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, left, shakes hands with Finland's President Alexander Stubb prior to their talks on the sidelines of the 61st Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, southern Germany. Photo / AFP
An emboldened Russia would move swiftly into territorial expansionist mode, the Ukrainian leader said.
“I don’t know [if] they will want 30% of Europe, 50%, I don’t know. Nobody knows. But they will have this possibility,” he said.
Zelenskyy’s comments to NBC echoed his remarks to the Munich conference on Saturday, where he urged the creation of a European army, arguing the continent could no longer count on Washington.
“We can’t rule out the possibility that America might say no to Europe on issues that threaten it,” Zelenskyy told the conference.
“I really believe that time has come. The Armed Forces of Europe must be created.”
A man walks near the makeshift memorial to Ukrainian and foreign fighters on the Independence Square in Kyiv, on February 16, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The push for a joint continental force has been mooted for years without gaining traction and Zelenskyy’s intervention seems unlikely to shift the balance.
‘A little bit scared’
Zelenskyy’s latest warnings came as Washington announced a team of senior US officials would meet in Saudi Arabia with counterparts from Moscow and Kyiv.
Trump upended the status quo this week when he announced he was likely to soon meet Putin to start talks to end the conflict.
Zelenskyy said that in conversations with Trump, the President indicated he believed Putin was for ready for negotiations.
“I said to [Trump], ‘No, [Putin]’s a liar. He doesn’t want any peace.’”
But Zelenskyy added that he thinks Putin is “a little bit scared” of the US President.
“I think that really he can push Putin to peace negotiations,” Zelenskyy said, adding: “Don’t trust him. Don’t trust Putin.”
US officials have sought to assure Ukraine that it will not be left in the cold after three years of battling Russia’s invasion.
After sitting down with Zelenskyy in Munich, US Vice-President JD Vance said the United States was looking for a “durable, lasting peace” that would not lead to further bloodshed in coming years.
But Washington has sent mixed messages to Kyiv, with Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth appearing to rule out Ukraine joining Nato or retaking all of its territory.
