Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently addressed the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, stressing that at least 200,000 European peacekeepers are needed to secure Ukraine after a potential ceasefire. This move is aimed at preventing further Russian attacks.

Zelenskyy made the statement just after former U.S. President Donald Trump returned to power, vowing to quickly end the war in Ukraine. The Ukrainian leader is pushing for European leaders to take stronger action to defend the continent. He believes that 200,000 peacekeepers are a minimum requirement to keep Russia at bay, comparing it to the size of France’s military.

He also explained that while Russia’s military consists of around 1.5 million soldiers, Ukraine’s forces are significantly smaller. Zelenskyy believes that peacekeepers would only be a part of the larger security measures needed to protect Ukraine’s future.

In addition, Zelenskyy mentioned ongoing efforts to arrange a meeting with Trump, hoping to discuss how the war can be brought to a swift end. However, he also made it clear that Ukraine will not agree to Russian demands to shrink its military significantly, predicting that Putin may insist on reducing Ukraine’s forces to one-fifth of their current size.

This ongoing push for security guarantees highlights Ukraine’s need for protection, even as it seeks to resolve the conflict diplomatically.