President Volodymyr Zelensky has sounded the alarm bells for European nations, cautioning that Vladimir Putin has designs on five other countries within Europe if Ukraine were to capitulate. During a news conference in Kyiv on Monday, Zelensky highlighted the threat to European states with “Russian roots” or historical ties to the Soviet Union’s domain.
He underlined the likelihood of Putin exploiting Russian-speaking communities as a pretext for territorial claims, drawing parallels to the annexation of Crimea in 2014, reports the Mirror. The Ukrainian President named Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Moldova, and Slovakia as particularly vulnerable.
He explained: “When you have Russian speaking people, or their roots, or their families…it’s our history, then you are at risk. At the very beginning, they said that they are not occupying our territories, that they are defending Russian-speaking people.”
Zelensky stressed the peril these nations face: “If we fall down…I think all such countries who I mentioned have this risk because of Russian policy, because their view of the Russian world.”
His statements serve as a cautionary reminder since Latvia, Estonia, and Moldova were once part of the Russian Empire and Soviet Union.
Latvia and Estonia are home to hundreds of thousands of Russian speakers, with tens of thousands more residing in Moldova. Parts of Poland were once annexed into the Russian Empire, but the country was also a member of the Cold War-era Warsaw Pact, as was Czechoslovakia, which Slovakia separated from in 1991.
Putin previously accused Ukraine of occupying Russian lands in his 2021 essay ‘On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians’. He argued Russians and Ukrainians not only share a common heritage but also a common destiny.
Another concern for Russia’s neighbours is Putin’s order last year demanding the expansion of the country’s army to 2.4 million people – it is believed to be around 1.5 million at present. However, Russia does face a significant obstacle to its expansionist ambitions, with four of the five countries mentioned by Zelensky being NATO members.
Under the terms of the organisation, all member states are obliged to come to the military aid of another should any one nation be targeted by an outside aggressor. Meanwhile, Moldova has a defence arrangement with the European Union.
Zelensky shared his views during a meeting with world leaders, including EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, among others.
President Zelensky stated: “Nobody in the world believes the Russian lies about our country and our people, even those who became Russia’s ally… Russia’s strategic target is Europe, the European way of life and the future of Europe. And the future of Europe cannot be decided without Europe.”
However, US President Donald Trump has been shifting his stance in favour of Russia, echoing some of the Kremlin’s rhetoric. Trump has labelled Zelensky a “dictator” and alleged Ukraine initiated the conflict, while also excluding them from peace talks and instead engaging directly with Russia.
Moreover, Trump has downplayed Zelensky’s significance in peace negotiations, suggesting he is “not very important” to be involved.