“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy calls for the creation of a European army. He insists Kyiv and its backers on the continent must be listened to in peace talks with Russia. He says with the return of President Donald Trump to the White House Europe can no longer count on Washington to always have its back. The push for a joint continental force has been mooted for years without gaining traction and seems unlikely to shift the balance in the short-term. \”No decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine. No decisions about Europe without Europe,\” he says in a speech in Munich. \”I really believe that time has come. The Armed Forces of Europe must be created,\” he adds in a rallying cry for Kyiv’s role in the peace process with the Russian-backed rebels. \”Let’s be honest – now we can’t rule out the possibility that America might say no to Europe on issues that threaten it,\” Zelenskiy says. ‘Ukraine will never accept deals made behind our backs without our involvement,’ he adds.”
