Ukraine will need 1.5-million-strong army for its security outside NATO – Zelensky
The United States is currently not ready to discuss Ukraine's NATO membership, which means Ukraine will need twice as many combat brigades to ensure its security.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this during a discussion with journalists at the Munich Security Conference, according to Ukrinform.
"We need to acknowledge where we stand. Today's America and President [Donald] Trump are openly stating they are not ready to discuss NATO. […] They believe Ukraine cannot join because it would escalate tensions with Russia. They believe that enshrining NATO in [Ukraine's] Constitution is the primary reason for Russia's occupation of Ukrainian territory," Zelensky said.
At the same time, Zelensky stressed that Ukraine's NATO membership remains the best and "cheapest" option for the country's security. Without it, the country would require a 1.5-million-strong army to defend itself.
"If we are not in NATO, then Ukraine must build [its defense capabilities] together with Europe. Many European leaders already recognize this. Until we are part of NATO, we need an army capable of protecting the country. This means NATO-standard weaponry and a sufficient number of trained Ukrainian troops. Based on calculations with our military leadership, that means an army of 1.5 million soldiers," Zelensky said.
Currently, Ukraine has 110 combat brigades, while Russia fields 220 brigades. Zelensky said that Ukraine needs to match that number, which would require a significant budget increase.
He said that right now, Ukraine's budget includes $40 billion in military spending and to sustain an army of this size, Ukraine would need at least 1.5 times more -- $60 billion annually.
"Where will this funding come from? What kind of security guarantees will we have? What will the overall security configuration be?" he said.
Zelensky also stressed that discussions are ongoing about deploying military contingents rather than peacekeeping forces.
"If a serious military presence is being considered, we need to understand its scale and location. We are open to discussions with the U.S. and our allies. If we receive clear answers from them -- just as we are making clear requests -- then, with a shared understanding of the threat posed by Putin, we will be ready to engage in talks with Russia," he said.
When asked about Ukraine's "red lines," Zelensky reaffirmed that Ukraine would never legally recognize Russian-occupied territories as Russian.
"Legally, we will never recognize these territories as 'Russian,' 'non-Russian,' or anything else. Today, we speak of Russia as the enemy. These lands are Ukrainian -- this is a 'red line' because it is enshrined in our Constitution and represents our sovereignty. Only the people of Ukraine have the right to decide this -- no one else," he said.
Earlier at the conference, Zelensky warned that any "compromise peace" without strong security guarantees would only encourage Russia to attack again.
Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine