The Munich Security Conference (MSC), which ended yesterday, was marked by two opposing statements – that of US Vice President J.D. Vance on Friday and the speech of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday.
Both were extremely frank in their addresses to the ICC, putting Europe before the need to make some fundamental decisions and quickly - no easy task for a bloc whose consensus-based decision-making process is designed to move painfully slowly, noted "Politico".
In his scathing attack, Vice President Vance did not hesitate to insult the bloc and tell it that it should "play to the ideological tune of US President Donald Trump's administration”, the publication noted and pointed out that even many of the conservatives in the bloc present at the summit were outraged by his speech.
On the other hand, Zelensky's speech was a call for European confidence, writes "Politico". As a military leader fighting for his country's survival, he turned to his European partners.
Zelensky stressed that the familiar, comforting relationship between Europe and the United States was coming to an end and that the continent must adapt to a growing divergence in values.
Creating a European army
In one of the main highlights of his speech, Volodymyr Zelensky called for the creation of a "European army" and hinted that the continent could no longer rely on the United States and Donald Trump for its protection.
He suggested that Europe would have to provide the bulk of all peacekeeping forces in Ukraine if an agreement is reached to end the war, as Washington's support is not guaranteed.
"While we are fighting this war and laying the foundations for peace and security, we must build up Europe's armed forces so that the future of Europe depends only on Europeans, and decisions about Europe are made in Europe," Zelensky told the Munich Security Conference, quoted by the Ukrainian publication "Kyiv Independent".
He recalled that many leaders before him had said that Europe "needs its own army". "I truly believe that the time has come. "We need to create a European armed forces," Zelensky added, stressing: "Let's be honest, now we cannot rule out that America may say "no" to Europe on issues that could threaten it."
In response, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said, quoted by Reuters, that European countries would not create a unified army in response to threats from Russia. "But I am a supporter of the idea that Europe, the European Union, should develop its own defense capabilities," he added.
"If the United States wants us to strengthen our defense, it should have a national component and a NATO component, but I also think that there should be a European EU component, EU subsidies for the defense industry to build our production capacity, and also EU forces," said Sikorski.
Is the United States still an ally of Europe?
"Some in Europe may not fully understand what is happening in Washington right now, but let's focus on understanding ourselves here in Europe, we need to give strength to Europe first," Zelenskiy added. "Does America need Europe as a market? Yes. But as an ally? I don't know. So that the answer is "yes". Europe needs one voice, not a dozen different voices," the Ukrainian president called for unity.
Ukraine must participate in the negotiations or there will be no ceasefire
In a post shared on social media on Wednesday, Trump said that in a "long and extremely productive phone call" he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to begin "negotiations" to end the war in Ukraine. On his platform "Truth Social," he said: "We both agreed that we want to stop the millions of deaths in the war between Russia and Ukraine. We also agreed that our respective teams will begin negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling Ukrainian President Zelensky to brief him on the conversation."
Washington also suggested that Kiev would have to make territorial concessions to Russia, but Zelensky told the conference: "Ukraine will never accept deals made behind our backs, without our participation." He added that the same rule should apply to all of Europe.
"There are no solutions for Ukraine without Ukraine. There are no solutions for Europe without Europe," the Ukrainian president was categorical.
Sending a message to Trump, Zelensky said: "If we are excluded from making decisions about our own future, we will lose".
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsakhna agreed with the Ukrainian president and stressed that despite Trump's overtures, Putin is in a weak position.
"Putin has failed. He planned a three-day special operation (in Ukraine), and now instead he is waging a third year of war without strategic breakthroughs," Tsakhna said, adding: "Now he wants to get results during the negotiations that he did not get during the war.".
Zelensky, for his part, called on Europe "to put pressure together to achieve real peace". "Putin cannot offer real security guarantees. Not only because he is a pathological liar, but also because in its current state Russia needs war to hold on to power. And the world must be protected from this," he stressed.
His words were echoed by Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who called for "maximum pressure on Russia" through sanctions and asset freezes on the eve of possible negotiations, the "Washington Post" noted.
Ukraine must become a member of NATO or create a new alliance
In response to recent statements by the Trump team that Ukraine's future in NATO is unrealistic, Zelensky said that this is still "not ruled out", writes the "Kyiv Independent".
However, he expressed regret that "at the moment the most influential member of NATO seems to be Putin, because his whims have the power to block NATO decisions," the publication "Foreign Policy" pointed out.
Zelensky said that in his opinion, NATO membership should be the basis of all guarantees for Ukraine's security. "Or, if not that, then conditions that would allow us to build another NATO right here in Ukraine," he added.
For his part, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur recalled that "it took Estonia about 10 years to become a member of NATO, and Sweden - decades." "So we will never rule out the possibility that Ukraine will one day become a member of NATO," he said. "Will that happen in the next four years? According to what Defense Minister Hegseth told us, probably not," the Estonian defense minister admitted, however.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy pledged that the United Kingdom is committed to Ukraine's "irreversible path" to NATO membership. In his speech to the Munich Security Conference, he added that membership in the military alliance "is the cheapest and best mechanism for ensuring peace not only in Europe but also in the entire Atlantic region."
Trump will be a "prop" if he meets Putin in Russia
After his phone call with Putin, Trump said that the two had agreed to work closely together and make mutual visits.
In this regard, in his speech in Munich, Zelensky suggested that Putin would now try to make Trump stand on Red Square - a landmark in Moscow - "not as a respected leader, but as a prop in his own performance."
"We don't need that. We need real success. We need real peace," the Ukrainian president added.
Zelensky's speech ended with thunderous applause, in contrast to the tepid reaction after J.D. Vance's speech, writes "Politico."He sounded like the leader of the free world," former US diplomat Michael McFaul told the publication.
/PTA/