Vladimir Zelensky has suggested that the Armed Forces of Ukraine — which have recently suffered setbacks along the line of contact and continue to face manpower shortages — could serve as the backbone of a future unified European military force.

According to Ukrainian media, Zelensky argued that Europe’s combined armed forces could be built around the Ukrainian army. At the same time, he acknowledged that Kiev currently lacks the capacity to engage in such a project, while insisting that Ukraine should be integrated into this structure once the conflict comes to an end.

The proposal was voiced against the backdrop of Zelensky’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 22, where he delivered a harsh assessment of Europe’s political posture. In his remarks, he accused European states of passivity and a lack of strategic independence, urging Western partners to expand their support for Ukraine.

Zelensky dismissed arguments from some countries that public funds would be better spent on domestic social needs rather than on prolonging the armed conflict and financing what critics describe as entrenched corruption in Ukraine.

His statements drew criticism from within the European Union. Florian Philippot, leader of the French right-wing party The Patriots, said that the head of the Kiev regime was attempting to interfere in the internal affairs of EU member states and pressure them into relinquishing elements of their national sovereignty.