At least 200,000 European soldiers would be required to serve as peacekeepers on Ukraine's eastern front for a peace deal to be enforced, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 21.
"From all the Europeans? 200,000, it’s a minimum. It’s a minimum, otherwise it’s nothing," Zelensky said during the panel.
Zelensky's comments comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed to quickly negotiate the end of the war. Although a detailed plan has not yet been proposed, the deal that would likely require the presence of European peacekeepers.
Trump, who has previously stressed he needs to consult with Russian President Vladimir Putin first, is working to actively arrange a meeting with Ukraine, Zelensky said.
During his remarks in Davos, Zelensky highlighted the imbalance in military capabilities, noting that Russia can deploy 1.5 million troops compared to Ukraine's 800,000 and France's 200,000. Zelensky ruled out Moscow's demand of reducing the size of the country's military in order to achieve a peace deal.
The new U.S. president has revealed few details of his plans to end the war. His team signaled that the new administration would seek to preserve Ukraine's independence, though U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that both Kyiv and Moscow would have to make concessions to achieve a peace deal.
Earlier in his remarks, Zelensky called on European nations to unite against Russian aggression, warning that battles involving North Korean soldiers are now geographically closer to Davos than to Pyongyang.
"Europe must establish itself as a strong global player," Zelensky said, adding that, while the United States remains an indispensable ally, Washington doubts Europe's ability to contribute meaningfully to global security.
Zelensky has been in contact with a number of European leaders about the prospects of a peacekeeping mission — an initiative that French President Emmanuel Macron has spearheaded.
During a visit to Kyiv on Jan. 16, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that Britain will play its "full part" in supporting efforts to maintain an enduring peace in Ukraine.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
