Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says time has come for the creation of ‘armed forces of Europe’

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks through the 61st Munich Safety Convention in Munich, Germany on February 15, 2025.
| Picture Credit score: Getty Photographs

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned on Saturday (February 15, 2025) the time has come for the creation of an “armed forces of Europe” and says his nation’s struggle towards Russia has proved {that a} basis for it already exists.

The Ukrainian chief mentioned Europe can’t rule out the chance that “American may say no to Europe on points that threaten it,” and famous that many leaders have lengthy spoken about how Europe wants its personal army.

“I actually imagine that point has come,” Mr. Zelenskyy instructed the Munich Safety Convention. “The armed forces of Europe have to be created.”

Earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz shot again strongly in protection of his stance towards the far-right and mentioned his nation gained’t settle for individuals who “intervene in our democracy,” a day after U.S. Vice President JD Vance scolded European leaders over their strategy to democracy.

The German chief spoke on the Munich Safety Convention with simply eight days earlier than essential elections in Germany, with polls exhibiting the far-right Various for Germany (AfD) get together — whose co-leader met with Vance on Friday — at present in second, forward of Scholz’s personal Social Democrats.

Even whereas lashing out at alleged U.S. meddling in Germany’s democracy, Scholz mentioned he was “happy” at what he referred to as a shared dedication with the USA to the “preserving the sovereign independence of Ukraine,” and agreed with feedback by U.S. President Donald Trump that Russia’s conflict in Ukraine should finish.

However when it got here to home politics, Scholz additionally alluded to Germany’s Nazi previous, and mentioned the longstanding dedication to “By no means Once more” — a return to the intense proper — was not reconcilable with help for AfD.

“We is not going to settle for that individuals who have a look at Germany from the surface intervene in our democracy and our elections and within the democratic opinion-forming course of within the curiosity of this get together,” he mentioned. “That’s simply not completed, definitely not amongst pals and allies. We resolutely reject this.”

“The place our democracy goes from right here is for us to resolve,” Scholz added.

A day earlier, Vance that he fears free speech is “in retreat” throughout the continent.

He mentioned that many People noticed in Europe “entrenched pursuits hiding behind ugly Soviet-era phrases like misinformation and disinformation, who merely don’t like the concept someone with another viewpoint may specific a distinct opinion or, God forbid, vote a distinct means, and even worse, win an election.”

Scholz, taking pictures again, mentioned “free speech in Europe means that you’re not attacking others in methods which might be towards laws and legal guidelines now we have in our nation.” He was alluding to guidelines in Germany that prohibit hate speech.

The exchanges got here as European leaders have been making an attempt to make sense of a tricky new line from Washington on points together with democracy and Ukraine’s future, because the Trump administration continues to upend transatlantic conventions which were in place since after World Struggle II.

Trump held a cellphone name with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week by which he mentioned the 2 leaders would probably meet quickly to barter a peace deal to finish the conflict that started with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years in the past. Trump later assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he, too, would have a seat on the desk.

The Ukrainian chief mentioned Friday that his nation desires safety ensures earlier than any talks with Russia. Shortly earlier than assembly with Vance in Munich, Zelenskyy mentioned he’ll solely agree to fulfill in-person with Putin after a typical plan is negotiated with Trump.

After a 40-minute assembly with Zelenskyy, Vance mentioned the Trump administration desires the conflict to finish.

Beforehand, Vance lectured European officers on free speech and unlawful migration on the continent, warning that they danger shedding public help in the event that they don’t shortly change course.

“The risk that I fear essentially the most about vis-à-vis Europe is just not Russia. It’s not China. It’s not every other exterior actor,” Vance mentioned in a speech that drew a tepid response. “What I fear about is the risk from inside — the retreat of Europe from a few of its most elementary values, values shared with the USA of America.”

On the sidelines of the occasion, Vance met with Alice Weidel, co-leader of AfD.

Mainstream German events say they gained’t work with the get together, a longstanding stance to shun the intense proper in a rustic scarred by Nazism.

Vance later headed again to Washington.

Amongst different audio system set to take the dais in Munich on Saturday have been NATO chief Mark Rutte and overseas ministers from nations together with Canada, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia and from Syria’s new interim authorities.