Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy calls for the creation of the “armed forces of Europe” amid new line by Washington

Zelensky, speaking on the second day of the Munich Security Conference, said Ukraine’s three-year fight against an invading Russian army has proved that a foundation exists for the creation of a European army that has long been discussed among some continental leaders.

“I really believe that time has come,” he said. “The armed forces of Europe must be created.”

It’s unclear whether the idea will catch on with European leaders. Zelenskyy seeks greater military and economic support from the European Union and has repeatedly warned that other parts of Europe could be vulnerable to Russia’s expansionist ambitions.

Zelenskyy insisted that “three years of full-scale war have proven that we already have the foundation for a united European military force. And now, as we fight this war and lay the groundwork for peace and security, we must build the armed forces of Europe.”

In his speech, Zelenskyy also alluded to the phone conversation between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin this week, after which Mr. Trump said he and Putin would likely meet soon to negotiate a peace deal over Ukraine. It was a break with the Biden administration’s harder line against Moscow over Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

“Ukraine will never accept deals made behind our backs without our involvement, and the same rule should apply to all of Europe,” Zelenskyy said. “A few days ago, President Trump told me about his conversation with Putin. Not once did he mention that America needs Europe at the table. That says a lot.”

“The old days are over when America supported Europe just because it always had.”

Zelenskyy met with Vice President JD Vance on Friday to discuss the Trump administration’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Vance said the U.S. seeks a “durable” peace, while Zelenskyy expressed the desire for extensive discussions to prepare for any end to the conflict.

“We want the killing to stop, but we want to achieve a durable, lasting peace,” Vance said. “Not the kind of peace that’s going to have Eastern Europe in conflict just a couple years down the road.”

In a speech at the conference on Friday, Vance warned that Europe needed to “step up in a big way” on defense, reiterating that Mr. Trump would like to see European allies in NATO contribute at least 5% of their gross domestic product to increased security spending.

“While the Trump administration is very concerned with European security, and believes that we can come to a reasonable settlement between Russia and Ukraine, we also believe that it’s important in the coming years for Europe to step up in a big way to provide for its own defense,” Vance said. 

Vance lectured Europeans at the conference, telling them, “The threat that I worry the most about vis-à-vis Europe is not Russia; it’s not China.” 

“What I worry about is the threat from within, the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the United States of America,” the vice president said.

European leaders have been trying to understand Washington’s tough new approach to issues such as democracy and Ukraine’s future. The Trump administration continues to upend transatlantic conventions that have existed since after World War II.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz acknowledged the need for support for Ukraine but also recognized the economic realities, notably that Germany has budgetary rules that limit how much its government can spend.

Scholz said it would be “absolutely impossible to finance 2% and even more without changing the debt regulation that we have.” However, he believes Germans are ready to increase spending and that there is “broad support for all those saying we should do more.” However, he explained that the rules will need to change for that.

He said he was “a bit disgusted” that some people in Germany and elsewhere had suggested that raising such spending is “something which we will be able to do,” waving his hand dismissively to suggest it would be easy.

“It will not happen if we are not serious, if we are not honest with the people telling them that spending more for defense will mean that we have to increase also the debt we have,” Scholz said. “We have the strength, we have to power, and we have the economic capabilities to do what is necessary.”

contributed to this report.