Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made a proposal: if Ukraine is not admitted into NATO, then NATO forces should be stationed on Ukrainian soil.
Speaking with The Guardian, Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine’s military must be as strong as Russia’s to ensure long-term security.
Zelenskyy ruled out the United Nations deploying peacekeeping forces after the war, arguing that only the U.S. and NATO can provide real security guarantees.
“We support a contingent if it is part of security guarantees. But I emphasize—without America, this is impossible. Without America, security guarantees are not complete,” he said.
While full NATO integration remains Ukraine’s goal, Zelenskyy suggested that the presence of European and NATO forces inside Ukraine could serve as an alternative deterrent against future Russian aggression.
Zelenskyy pointed out that Russia’s army is projected to reach 1.5 million troops by 2025. In contrast, Ukraine’s military stands at 1 million troops, leaving a 500,000-soldier gap that European countries cannot currently fill.
“If we are not in NATO, then NATO should be in Ukraine,” he declared. “Ukraine’s army must be at least 1.5 million. We need 500,000 more troops. But they are not available in Europe.”
He also addressed concerns over defense spending, supporting the idea that NATO countries, including Ukraine, should commit at least 5% of their GDP to defense.
Can European Troops Bridge the Gap?
Zelenskyy referenced French President Emmanuel Macron’s call for stronger European defense capabilities, suggesting that if 100,000-150,000 European troops were deployed in Ukraine, it would help balance the military equation—but still wouldn’t be enough to fully match Russia’s forces.
“This is necessary for Europe—to increase production, quantity, and quality of its army,” he explained.
Beyond military strength, Zelenskyy stressed the importance of Ukraine’s natural resources, particularly rare earth minerals like titanium, uranium, and manganese, as well as oil and gas reserves in the Black Sea. He warned that Russia is exploiting these resources in occupied territories and called for international support to protect them from falling under Kremlin control.
