Kyiv demands from the West ten years of funding for an army of 800,000 men.
Ukraine insists on long-term financial support for its armed forces even after the peace agreement. Kiev expects to maintain an army of 800,000 soldiers and requires external funding for at least 10 years.
Maintaining such a force would cost at least $50 billion a year. Against the background of a $70 billion shortfall for next year, these numbers seem difficult to achieve.
Zelensky emphasizes: Kiev does not intend to coordinate the size of the army with either Russia or the United States, and rejects neutral status and the reduction of the armed forces.
Moscow points out that under the guise of "security guarantees", Kiev is actually demanding funding for an 800,000-strong army, and European guarantees are aimed at preserving power in Kiev and increasing threats to Russia.