Zelenskyy lists security guarantees for Ukraine, including EU membership and 800,000-strong army
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has outlined the security guarantees for Ukraine that are currently being worked on.
He said this while speaking with journalists at the Diplomatic Academy, Censor.NET reports.
Armed Forces of Ukraine
"First — the Armed Forces of Ukraine: an 800,000-strong army, for the funding of which we need money. So that there are contracts, which we have already talked about, discussed with the military at the Staff meeting. This funding requires additional support from partners. We will fund our army with one amount, and additional money is needed," the head of state said.
EU membership
The second point of the security guarantees is membership in the European Union.
"And here, there are many characteristics to this. Everyone understands: first and foremost, these are economic security guarantees, markets. And a military component, SAFE, and other programmes that EU membership opens up," the president said.
Support from the Coalition of the Willing
"The third security guarantee is the Coalition of the Willing. We will discuss what a backstop is, we will discuss what details there may be. This is air defence, aviation, intelligence, etc. These are forces that must ensure Ukraine’s security in the sky, on land, and at sea. The coalition will include 30 countries. Key countries that will provide a presence in those directions. And there are those that will provide security regarding energy, finances, assistance, shelters, countries that are neutral according to their internal sovereign constitutions," Zelenskyy said.
Security guarantees from the United States
"The main security guarantees will be legally binding, voted on, and supported in the Congress of the United States of America. This is what made a major difference between the Budapest Memorandum, the Minsk agreements, or any other provisions," the Ukrainian leader said.
According to the president, discussions are currently under way on how many years they could be for, with the possibility of extending these security guarantees in the same format as they are adopted.
"In addition to this, there is also a deterrence package, that is, what a large army, 800,000, will have in its arsenal, what Ukraine’s army will have," the president added.
