Ukraine Will Build 1.5 Million-Army If Not Admitted to NATO, Says Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that if Ukraine is not admitted to NATO, it will require an army comparable in size to Russia’s as an alternative security strategy, talking to reporters at the Munich Security Conference on February 14.

“If we are not in NATO, then we need an army of one and a half million people,” stated Zelenskyy.

Kyiv, has maintained that NATO membership would be the most effective and cost-efficient means of deterring future Russian aggression following any ceasefire or peace agreement.

“… if Ukraine is not in NATO, it means that Ukraine will build NATO on its territory. So we need an army as numerous as the Russians have today,” Zelenskyy said in an interview with The Economist published February 12.

Several NATO member states, including the United States, currently oppose Ukraine’s accession to the alliance. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reiterated Wednesday that Washington does not consider Kyiv’s NATO membership part of its peace strategy for Ukraine.

John Coale, US Deputy Ukraine Envoy, stated on February 13 that Ukraine’s potential NATO membership and a return to its pre-2014 borders remain under consideration. His remarks contrast with those of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who told NATO allies on February 12 that restoring Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders was “an unrealistic objective” as President Donald Trump prioritizes ending the war.