Zelensky calls on the UK to rejoin the EU

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged the United Kingdom to rejoin the European Union, arguing that an expanded bloc including Ukraine, Turkey, and Norway would create a military powerhouse capable of countering Russia – especially if the United States withdraws from NATO.

In excerpts from an interview on The Rest Is Politics podcast, shared via X (formerly Twitter) on Friday (10 April), Zelenskyy framed the proposal as a matter of European survival rather than economics.

“If the United States truly thinks about withdrawing from NATO, then European security will be based solely on the European Union. But not in its current form,” Zelenskyy said. “I think that the EU is in a situation where it needs more countries.”

He named four nations he believes should join: the UK, Ukraine, Turkey, and Norway.

“These are four strong countries, which are part of Europe,” he continued. “Together, the UK, Ukraine, and Türkiye have armies that are stronger than Russia’s army. Without Ukraine and Türkiye, Europe can’t match Russia. With the four countries on board you can wrest control of the seas, have secure skies and the largest land forces.”

Zelenskyy stressed the proposal is defensive, not offensive, pointing to Russia’s plans to expand its military to 2.5 million personnel by 2030.

“It’s not about offense. Europe has to think about security and how to preserve its independence,” he said. “The UK once was a member of the EU. There are concerns about agriculture when it comes to Türkiye. But you can manage all of this if you have a really great economy. But security comes first, economy second. Not vice versa.”

The comments come at a tense moment for transatlantic relations. Fears of a US pullback from NATO have grown amid ongoing debates in Washington over alliance burdensharing.

Zelenskyy’s pitch effectively calls for the EU to evolve into a more robust security actor, one that could fill any vacuum left by Washington.