Without Ukraine’s Army, Europe Stands No Chance Against Russia, Zelenskyy Warns

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his firm belief that European Union militaries would stand little chance against Russian forces without Ukraine’s army in an interview with Polish media outlets Onet, Rzeczpospolita, TVN24, and Krytyka Polityczna on January 15.

“Europe without the Ukrainian army will not cope with the Russian army, because it is larger in terms of numbers. Russia has more weapons, more people and is more cruel than the Europeans,” Zelenskyy stated.

Ukrainian President added that “Europe is a different civilization,” stressing that “Europeans live in democracy and do not know what war is.”

“But Russia knows and has experience in this matter. And without the Ukrainian army, Europe unfortunately has no chance against Russia today. Putin knows this and talks about it in his circle. Therefore, if Ukraine does not defend itself, he will quickly move on,” Zelenskyy added.

Zelenskyy stressed the need for Europe to take a more pragmatic stance by tripling weapons production, both to support Ukraine and to strengthen its own defenses, ensuring it outpaces Russia in the ongoing arms race.

The President noted that nations like Poland, Romania, and the Baltic and Scandinavian countries understand the threat posed by Russia.

However, he warned that many other European countries fail to acknowledge the reality that Russia could expand its aggression.

“This is the biggest mistake,” Zelenskyy said, stressing that greater awareness would lead to stronger sanctions, increased weapons production, and maximum support for Ukraine.

Russia’s ambitions extend beyond Ukraine, Zelenskyy insisted, despite reassurances from some European politicians that Putin would not attack nations like Germany or France.

“He doesn’t necessarily need troops to attack now. It’s enough to target energy infrastructure, terrorize cyberspace daily, and destabilize nations through other means,” he cautioned.

Earlier, Zelenskyy outlined the possibility of deploying a European peacekeeping contingent on Ukrainian soil as part of broader security guarantees.