EU told ‘you need the UK and Ukraine’ as NATO fears erupt | World | News

The EU has been told it “needs” the UK, Ukraine and other countries in order to defend itself from the Russian threat – especially if Donald Trump follows through with his NATO threat. This week, Trump reiterated his disapproval of NATO. At a time where the US leader has sharpened his long-standing criticism of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, branding the alliance a “paper tiger”, Volodymyr Zelensky emphasised that the “partnership between the US and Europe is very important.”

In a sit down interview with Alastair Campbell, on The Rest is Politics, the Ukrainian President said the EU is in a “situation” where they “need some countries”. This comes as Trump continues to complain that NATO members were unwilling to take part in the country’s military operation and resisted his calls to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. In an hour-long podcast episode, which will be released in full at 6pm on April 9, Zelensky said the partnership of these countries will help Europe have a “stronger army than Russia”.

He described the security alliance between Europe and the US as “the most strong union in the world” and labelled the current divisions as “not good”.

Zelensky said: “The EU is in such a situation. They need some countries. UK, Ukraine, Turkey, Norway. I think these countries, this is the army which will be stronger than the army of Russia. That is the answer. Without Ukraine and Turkey, Europe will not have a similar army that Russia has.

“With Ukraine, Turkey, Norway and the UK, you will control security on the seas, not one sea. And that’s why these four countries, the EU also has to find a way, friendship, strategic partner, how to involve these four countries and be the strongest union.”

Zelensky reiterated his desire for Ukraine to join the EU and expressed confidence that NATO membership will soon follow.

Speaking on the future of the EU, Zelensky said: “I really think that the union between the United States and Europe is very important.

“And if the United States really thinks about how to withdraw from NATO, what we heard from officials, even officials publicly, that they think about it, then all the security in Europe will be based only on the EU.

“We want to be a part of the EU and we will be, I’m sure.” Ukraine is pushing for a 2027 date to join the EU as part of a settlement to end Russia’s war. Zelensky previously said Kyiv is “count[ing] on partners’ support for our position.”

Last night, Trump once again raged at NATO, saying in a Truth Social post the alliance “wasn’t there when we needed them”.

The 79-year-old leader said earlier this month that he was considering withdrawing the US from NATO as he lamented about the lack of support from members.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters yesterday it was “quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks, when it’s the American people who have been funding their defence”.

The prospect the US may leave the alliance have prompted fears NATO would be struggling to survive and remain a deterrent to countries such as Russia.

The International Institute for Security Studies (IISS) has researched what could happen to NATO should Trump quit it, and found there could be serious shortfalls not just in replacing “major US military platforms and manpower ” but also in space and in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets, DW reports.

Former US ambassador to NATO, Ivo Daalder, has also said the Iran war has created the “worst crisis” the alliance has ever experienced, not just due to the threats from Trump.

He told Euronews: “The last six weeks have been extraordinarily damaging to NATO. We see a divided NATO, which has been the goal of first the Soviet Union and then Russia for the better part of 80 years.”