Along with reiterating his longstanding push to join the NATO alliance, Zelensky told MPs: "If the partners agree, we envisage replacing certain military contingents of the US armed forces stationed in Europe with Ukrainian units."
Fox News reported that the US has around 100,000 troops stationed across Europe. Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops have dwindled and have become weakened during the war, which has lasted for nearly 3 years with no end in sight should Zelensky persist for a win rather than entertain negotiations for a peace deal.
US officials have urged Kyiv to allow men aged 18-24 to enlist in the Ukrainian military, which the country is reluctant to do due to fears that "there will be no viable men left to start families and replenish the population after the war is over," according to Zero Hedge. The average age of Ukraine's frontlines soldiers is 43.
Zelensky also seemingly suggested during his talks last week that if Ukraine is continually denied entry into NATO it will secure nuclear weapons, something that the president has since denied.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte dubbed these elements Zelensky's "victory plan," stating to reporters last Wednesday that it is "not only about an invitation to become a member of NATO. The victory plan has more elements," adding, "The next steps [are] not just on this issue, but on the general content of the victory plan."
