Zelensky Claims 200,000 European Soldiers Needed To Secure Peace Deal

In a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, the Ukrainian president’s resounding message seemed to be that Europe must stop relying on America, and yet his demands for peace alone would surely entail both U.S. involvement and also Russian compromise.

Zelensky said "a minimum of 200,000 European soldiers will be required to secure Ukraine after any peace deal is reached."

"A minimum, otherwise it’s nothing," he said, emphasizing the need to keep Putin in check. 

He also decried Russia’s demand to cut Ukraine’s army down to a fifth of its current size of 800,000 troops, saying that would leave the country defenseless. 

Europe must work together to secure itself and cannot wait for Donald Trump, Ukraine’s leader declared. “Europe must establish itself as a strong, global player, as an indispensable player,” he said, one that can “take care of itself.” 

“Will President Trump even notice Europe? Does he see NATO as necessary? And will he respect EU institutions,” he posted on X.

Interestingly, Zelensky also reiterated his desire to join the U.S.-dominated NATO, saying it is the country’s best security guarantee, although Moscow has said it will not allow this under any circumstances. He even called President Trump’s expected defense spending ratio of 5 percent of GDP a legitimate requirement for increasing military investment.

According to the Ukrainian president, Europe is also making a big mistake by continuing its purchases of Russian gas and must free itself from its dependence on Russian energy. 

Zelensky continued with his theme of making Europe stronger and less reliant on protection from America via multiple X threads, with one post seemingly contradicting his own push for stepping out from under its U.S. umbrella:

“It is impossible to keep buying gas from Moscow while expecting security guarantees, help and backup from the Americans.“ This came right after he declared that despite Trump promising more energy for Europe, the continent must “secure real energy independence.”

In another post, we read: “Europe must have a seat at the table when deals about war and peace are made. Not just for Ukraine—this must be the standard. Europe deserves to be more than just a bystander, with its leaders reduced to posting on X after an agreement has already been made. Europe needs to shape the terms of those deals.” 

Ironically, Zelensky then posted on X regarding his multiple meetings in Davos with leaders from Germany, Albania, Finland, Switzerland, and Vietnam, although it is unclear what purpose those served aside from photo ops. 

He even ventured into Europe’s competitive edge in tech and innovation in another thread and returned to the topic of showing the U.S. that Europe is essential in yet another, “so that one day, in Washington, they’ll say – all eyes on Europe. Not because of war. But because of the opportunities in Europe.”

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