Zelenskyy in Munich: Putin doesn't want peace, Europe needs its own army

Contents

• Putin doesn't want peace: He attacks the Chornobyl nuclear power plant and recruits an army for 'exercises' in Belarus
• Europe needs its own unified armed forces
• Ukraine is preparing a big meeting of partners for February 24
• Joining NATO is not off the agenda
• Putin cannot offer real guarantees of non-aggression
• If there is a 'Trump peace plan,' it is not yet about Ukraine
• Delay in US aid was one of the reasons for Russia's advance on the front
• Agreement with the US on resource extraction: 'We are still talking'
• Ukrainians do not want elections until there is peace

Putin doesn't want peace: He attacks the Chornobyl nuclear power plant and recruits an army for 'exercises' in Belarus

On the eve of the conference, a Russian drone struck the sarcophagus covering the destroyed fourth reactor of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant. It was a modified Shahed with at least 50 kg of explosives.

“We see this as a deeply symbolic move by Russia,” Zelenskyy said.

He adds that a project to expand the Khmelnytskyi NPP is currently being prepared, and the Zaporizhzhia NPP seized by the Russians was discussed with US President Donald Trump. In his opinion, Russia launched a drone in response.

Moscow does not want peace, is not preparing for a dialogue, sends up to a hundred Shahed drones almost every day, and regularly attacks with missiles and bombs. It also has plans to create 15 divisions.

Ukrainian intel has information that Russia is planning to send troops to Belarus this summer under the pretext of 'exercises'.

"Is this Russian force in Belarus meant to attack Ukraine? Maybe. Or maybe not. Or maybe it's meant for you," he said.

Europe needs its own unified armed forces

Zelenskyy doubts the readiness of European armies for a possible attack. And how quickly the allies will react if Russia conducts an operation under a false flag or with troops without insignia, as in 2014 in Crimea.

Besides, US Vice President JD Vance has made it clear that the old relationship with Europe is coming to an end. In these circumstances, Ukraine proposes to join forces.

He reminded that many leaders have already said that Europe needs its own army - the Army of Europe. “I really believe that time has come. The Armed Forces of Europe must be created,” Zelenskyy said.

This move requires increasing defense spending, weapons production, as well as strengthening unity and increasing political pressure on Russia. Europe has everything it needs to produce artillery, air defense, and armored vehicles, and it needs to start acting.

“I know Mark Rutte (NATO Secretary General - ed.), my good friend, is listening to me right now. Mark, my friend, this isn't about replacing the Alliance. This is about making Europe's contribution to our partnership equal to America's,” the president added.

Ukraine is preparing a big meeting of partners for February 24

Ukraine will not agree to agreements behind its back and without its participation.

“No decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine. No decisions about Europe without Europe. Europe must have a seat at the table when decisions about Europe are being made. Everything else is zero,” Zelenskyy said.

According to him, Putin is trying to negotiate with the United States one-on-one to divide the world. And then he will try to ensure that President Trump “stands on Red Square on May 9 as a prop in his performance.”

Europe needs a single voice, not a dozen different ones. And even those who regularly travel to Mar-a-Lago (a reference to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's trips to Trump's residence) need to be part of a strong Europe. Otherwise, Moscow will split it, and Europeans will not trust each other.

Ukraine is already working to ensure that on February 24, the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion, all its allies can come together in Kyiv and online. All European leaders and all key partners who protect Ukraine's security, Zelenskyy says. From Spain to Finland. From Britain to Poland. From Washington to Tokyo.

This meeting, as the president explained, should give a clear vision of the next steps - on peace, security guarantees, and the future of common policy.

Joining NATO is not off the agenda

Zelenskyy does not believe in security guarantees without America because they will be weak. Yet, the United States will not offer guarantees if European guarantees are not strong.

"And I will also not take NATO membership for Ukraine off the table. But, right now, the most influential member of NATO seems to be Putin, because his whims have the power to block NATO decisions. And that's despite the fact that it was Ukraine's army that stopped Russia. Not NATO country, not NATO troops, but only our people and our army," he said.

According to him, Putin has already lost nearly 250,000 soldiers, and more than 610,000 have been wounded. But it is unlikely that European armies can fight like the Ukrainian army. That is why NATO membership should be the basis of any security guarantees for Ukraine. Otherwise, there should be conditions for “NATO in Ukraine.”

Putin cannot offer real guarantees of non-aggression

Zelenskyy says that Putin cannot give any guarantees. Because in the summer of 2023, he faced an armed rebellion (the so-called Wagner march).

This alone indicates his weakness, Zelenskyy says. What will happen to the million Russian soldiers who are now fighting in Ukraine? Where will they fight if not in Ukraine? That is why Ukraine cannot simply agree to a ceasefire without real security guarantees, without putting pressure on Russia, the president said.

If the war does not end as it should, Putin will have a surplus of battle-tested soldiers who know nothing but how to kill and rob. This is another reason why the Russian-Ukrainian war cannot be resolved alone with Putin.

Putin cannot offer real security guarantees. "Not just because he is a liar, but because Russia in its current state needs war to hold power together. And the world must be protected from that,” Zelensky said.

A unified European army is needed as a modernization of NATO, a common European policy, and a serious level of military cooperation, he said, concluding his opening remarks.

If there is a 'Trump peace plan,' it is not yet about Ukraine

According to Zelenskyy, after talking with Trump and meeting with the American delegation in Munich, concrete work has begun. And Ukraine must work to ensure that the US administration has the right vision of the future of peace.

He adds that Trump and Putin are now preparing the atmosphere for a bilateral dialogue. And it's "their business", they can discuss anything, but not Ukraine without Ukraine. And in this case, there is a danger, the president said.

The Ukrainian side has been communicating at all levels that it is the one that must prepare security guarantees as a precondition for stopping the war.

“It can't be without us. If we don't have for today a common plan, it means, for me, that the US doesn't have. If they have something, it's not about us, it's about something new. But we don't want this new reality,” he said.

Zelenskyy notes that he was not very happy that Trump called Putin first. Still, there will be a great danger if the first meeting is with Putin and not with him, so it is important to reconcile the visions of Kyiv and Washington. In the conversation, Trump agreed that he needed to meet with Zelenskyy.

“It's important to find time for our meetings, to make a common plan and put it on the table for Putin. And do all things that President Trump can do - put sanctions and pressure to stop the war this year, 2025, and make peace in Ukraine. This is our plan, and what we really want,” Zelenskyy added.

Delay in US aid was one of the reasons for Russia's advance on the front

Zelenskyy said that he had discussed with Trump the delay in military aid for seven months. But he is grateful for that because without his support, supplies might have stopped altogether. Not all of the aid has arrived, but supplies continue.

This is one of the reasons why Ukraine lost land, he said. Ukraine lost about 4,000 square kilometers. If the aid had arrived on time, everyone understands, there might not have been such losses. We would have been in a better position, he added.

Agreement with the US on resource extraction: 'We are still talking'

Regarding the agreement on the extraction of rare earths, Western media report that Zelenskyy has allegedly rejected the first option. According to The Washington Post and NBC News, the American side proposed that Ukraine transfer 50% of the rights and was allegedly even ready to deploy troops to protect them.

When asked for details, Zelenskyy limited himself to a brief statement.

“We are still talking. In our history, there have been a lot of dialogues with different American administrations. Even in the first year of my term in 2019,” he said.

Ukrainians do not want elections until there is peace

When asked about the elections in Ukraine, the president says that he is now focused on the country's survival in the face of war. Zelenskyy is ready to talk about elections, Ukrainians do not want this, according to him, until there is sustainable peace.

They are afraid that the soldiers will return home, and Putin will occupy the entire territory, Zelenskyy said. And if someone doesn't like it, they can choose another citizenship, he added.

In conclusion, he confirmed that in his conversation with Trump he said that Putin was afraid of him. And Trump heard him. And now Putin knows it too, Zelenskyy summarized.

Follow the events of the second day of the Munich Security Conference and the main statements live on RBC-Ukraine.