Zelensky: Russia Wants To Occupy ‘100 Percent’ Of Europe, Preparing For Its Next War Now

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes Russia is preparing to “wage war” against NATO. He told NBC News that Ukraine has intelligence that Russian President Vladimir Putin is planning potential military training operations in Belarus,150,000 soldiers strong.

He suggested Putin may be waiting “for a weakening of NATO,” which could be triggered by the possibility “that the United States of America will think to take its military from Europe.” He stressed that he trusted President Donald Trump, but would not accept any ceasefire deal for the conflict in Ukraine conducted without being present at the negotiating table.

“I don’t know [if] they will want 30 percent of Europe, 50 percent, I don’t know. Nobody knows. But they will have this possibility,” said Zelensky. “There are risks that this can be Poland and Lithuania because we believe – we believe that Putin will wage war against NATO,” he said during the interview with Kristen Welker.

“And even if I will look at the army of Russia if they will see it that they, Russia, have 220 or 250 brigades, and Europe has 50. That is the answer. The risk that Russia will occupy Europe is 100 percent,” he warned.

During the Munich conference on Saturday, Zelensky urged the creation of a European army, suggesting the continent could no longer count on the U.S.

“We can’t rule out the possibility that America might say no to Europe on issues that threaten it,” Zelensky said at the conference. “I really believe that time has come. The Armed Forces of Europe must be created.”

Defense secretary Pete Hegseth told a conference in Brussels on Friday that any future assistance to Ukraine “must be backed by capable European and non-European troops” as part of a non-NATO mission.”

“To be clear, as part of any security guarantee, there will not be U.S. troops deployed to Ukraine,” said Hegseth. He added that the United States “does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement.”

Zelensky said Ukraine has a “low chance to survive” without Trump and the U.S. administration’s support.

Last week, Washington announced a team of senior U.S. officials would meet in Saudi Arabia with counterparts from Moscow and Kyiv. Trump floated the idea that he would soon meet Putin to start talks to end the conflict. During a phone call with Zelensky on Wednesday, Trump told the Ukraine president that he believed Putin was ready for negotiations.

Vice President JD Vance told Zelensky in Munich that the United States was looking for a “durable, lasting peace” that would prevent future bloodshed. Zelensky has said that he does not believe Putin wants peace, but he might be “a little bit scared” of the U.S. president.

“I think that really he can push Putin to peace negotiations,” Zelensky said about Trump.