If Ukraine does not receive strong security guarantees, Russian ruler Vladimir Putin will return with a military force ten times stronger, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, according to UNIAN.
His claims came a day after Donald Trump’s inauguration as a US president. Following his election victory, discussions have emerged about potential peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, as Trump has expressed a desire to end the war swiftly. However, it remains uncertain how he will persuade Moscow to engage in negotiations. Reports suggest that Trump might consider a peace deal that compromises Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
At the Davos Forum in Switzerland, Zelenskyy stressed the importance of analyzing the positions of Ukraine, Russia, the US, and Europe at the beginning of 2022 compared to 2025. This data, he said, underscores the impact of international aid and highlights the risks involved.
“At the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia’s forces numbered about 200,000. Today, there are 608,000 Russian troops in Ukraine — three times more than in early 2022. When people say there’s enough support, compare what we faced then with what’s happening now,” Zelenskyy said.
He noted that early in the war, 90% of Ukraine’s military aid came from the US. Currently, about 40% comes from domestic production, 40% from the US, and 30% from Europe. Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine has managed to sustain itself due to significant growth in its own production and increased output in Europe and the US.
“But it’s not enough. While we have grown production, Europe hasn’t kept pace,” he added.
Zelenskyy also highlighted the risks of insufficient security guarantees.
“Putin has also expanded his military production. He now has over 30 defense plants, while Europe has 45. Yet he produces nearly twice as much as Europe. Without robust security guarantees, production levels will drop, and Ukraine will have to rely solely on itself and Europe — which isn’t enough. The US and Europe must unite to support Ukraine,” he warned.
Zelenskyy warned that Putin’s ambitions might include forcing NATO’s withdrawal from the Baltic States.
“If Putin returns, it will be with an army ten times larger than what we faced in 2022. His forces are already 4.5 times bigger. Why would he return? To fully occupy the countries that were once Soviet republics. That’s step one. After that, he’ll act as he did with Crimea,” Zelenskyy concluded.
Earlier, Zelenskyy revealed that Russia has the capability to field approximately 1.5 million military personnel, while Ukraine’s armed forces number over 800,000.
Russia’s 1.5 mn force dwarfs combined European armies, Zelenskyy warns
He noted that France, which has the second-largest military among mentioned European nations, maintains just over 200,000 personnel, followed by Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom with smaller forces.
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