FALSE: Zelenskyi proposed using the Ukrainian Armed Forces as police for European countries — AgoraVox

Information is being spread online, citing an AgoraVox article, claiming that Volodymyr Zelenskyi proposed using the Ukrainian Armed Forces as police in European countries.

However, this is false. Zelenskyi’s plan does not involve deploying the Ukrainian army to Europe as police. AgoraVox frequently publishes pro-Russian materials.

AgoraVox did indeed publish a similar article on its website. Furthermore, the outlet has a history of publishing content with pro-Kremlin rhetoric. For instance, several of its articles refer to Ukraine as the “Kyiv regime” or a terrorist state and claim that Russia is fighting “neo-Nazis in Ukraine”.

Although AgoraVox articles have named authors, many lack biographies or authentic profile photos. Moreover, anyone can register on the site to become an editor and publish their materials. Since the outlet does not verify its authors’ qualifications, its content cannot be considered a reliable source of information.

The abovementioned AgoraVox article criticizes Zelenskyi’s Victory Plan. The author deems increased arms supplies to Ukraine and strikes against Russia as inadvisable. They also claim that the Ukrainian president is “scaring” the West with the possibility of the war spreading to European countries if military support for Ukraine is not provided.

Russian propagandists likely mistranslated the French word “milice” from the AgoraVox article. In the article’s context, “milice” translates as militia or volunteer unit, not police. This meaning has also been used in other French-language articles.

Zelenskyi’s Victory Plan, however, has no connection to police or “militia”. It does not involve the immediate deployment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to Europe. Point 5 of the plan discusses the substitution of certain U.S. military contingents stationed in Europe with Ukrainian units. This point is intended for the post-war period. Given the Ukrainian military’s real combat experience, expertise in using Western weapons, and cooperation with NATO forces, this experience could be utilized by Ukraine’s Western partners to strengthen their defense capabilities.

The potential spread of war to European countries is not an unfounded concern for Ukraine. Some European leaders clearly recognize the threat Russia poses to Europe and share the view that European security largely depends on Ukraine’s success in resisting Russian aggression. For example, Poland and the Baltic states are strengthening their borders with Russia and Belarus.

Regarding the claim about the “inadvisability of strikes against Russia”, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte acknowledges that Ukraine has the right to use its own weapons to strike deep into Russia. However, prior approval must be obtained from allies supplying these weapons to Ukraine. The UK and the US, which have provided long-range missiles, have yet to grant permission for such strikes on Russian territory, while Germany has refused to supply Ukraine with long-range strike capabilities.