Zelenskyy: If Ukraine Isn’t in NATO, It Needs Funding for an 800,000-Strong Army

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that as long as Ukraine remains outside NATO, the country’s 800,000-strong army must receive external financial support, he said during the “Ukraine. Year 2025” forum on February 23.

“The second key issue I would highlight is securing funding for Ukraine’s military—at least 800,000 troops. That is my position. If we are not in NATO, if we do not yet have solid security guarantees—because we understand that, for now, the United States and several European countries are against it—then we must recognize the reality: NATO is not here yet, though it remains on the table,” Zelenskyy said.

When asked about achieving a just peace, the president emphasized that the immediate priority is pressuring Russian leader Vladimir Putin to end the active phase of the war.

“This will be a difficult and lengthy process because it must go hand in hand with security guarantees for us,” Zelenskyy added.

Earlier, Zelenskyy announced that on February 24, the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the leaders of 13 countries will arrive in Kyiv for high-level discussions on Ukraine’s security and strategic priorities.