Zelenskyy says NATO can’t defend members without US

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that NATO would be unable to defend its member states without the United States, saying the alliance would lose its deterrent power if Washington were to withdraw.

“We are not making diagnoses, but without America this is not NATO. An alliance without the United States does not pose a threat to Russia and, in my view, would not even be able to ensure the protection of its own countries,” he said.

Zelenskyy also emphasised that Ukraine currently has the strongest army in Europe and argued that supporting Ukraine is essential for Europe’s own security. According to him, if new aggression or security threats emerge and the United States continues an isolationist policy, Ukraine would be the only force capable of strengthening Europe’s defense.

The Ukrainian President delivered critical remarks about Europe while speaking at the World Economic Forum, stating that the continent still does not fully understand how to protect itself. He also pointed to the failure to hold Russian President Vladimir Putin accountable, noting that Putin has not only avoided prosecution but has also managed to stall Europe on the issue of confiscating frozen Russian assets.