One-million-strong Ukrainian army should be the backbone of European forces – Zelenskyy

11:22, 23.01.2026 1 min read

A one-million-strong Ukrainian army should form the backbone of a European joint force, depending on whether there is a desire to create such an army, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

"Regarding European forces, we're talking not only about numbers, but also about capabilities and experience. And we can't do without the Ukrainian army, without a million Ukrainians. And that will be the foundation of such an army. But it depends. We're going back to the beginning, to those deadlines and desires. It's possible if everyone has the desire now," Zelenskyy told reporters on Friday.

He noted that the desire must certainly be there, first and foremost, on the part of Europeans.

"Russia didn't just unleash this machine. It's a machine of weapons production, of manpower... Who stopped it? You know, it's moving, stopped by one traffic light – that's Ukraine. But it won't stay red forever. Help is needed," the president emphasized.