Photo credit: BBC
With US officials reported plan to meet with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators for a possible peace deal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for the creation of a European military force to ensure the rest of the world does not treat it like a “pushover”.
UPI reports that US Secretary of State Matco Rubio spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday and is in Israel ahead of plans to go to Saudi Arabia with other American officials reportedly to talk with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is turning to other countries for support.
While touching on the possibility of American support ending, Zelensky said: “I really believe that the time has come that the armed forces of Europe must be created.
“Let’s be honest, now we can’t rule out that America might say ‘no’ to Europe on issues that might threaten it.”
Earlier in the week, US Vice-President JD Vance had aimed at European allies during a speech at the security conference. He said: “What I worry about is the threat from within. The retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the United States of America.”
Zelensky said Friday, he is not expecting any sort of peace deal with Russia in the near future.
He also said on Saturday that, “Putin cannot offer real security guarantees. Not just because he is a pathological liar but because Russia, in its current state, needs war to hold power together. And the world must be protected from that.”
The Ukrainian president said the stagnation in the now three-year-old war between the two countries is another reason Europe needs its own fighting force.
