Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ukraine’s president, during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026.
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Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has accused Europe of being “lost” and trying to convince U.S. President Donald Trump to help them, rather than uniting to defend itself.
“Instead of taking the lead in defending freedom worldwide, especially when America’s focus shifts elsewhere, Europe looks lost trying to convince the U.S. president to change,” he said in a strongly worded address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, after nearly four years of war with Russia.
“President Trump loves who he is, and he says he loves Europe, but he will not listen to this kind of Europe,” Zelenskyy said. He had met Trump in private shortly before his speech.
“Europe still feels more like geography, history, a tradition, not a real political force, not a great power,” Zelenskyy added.
“Some Europeans are really strong, it’s true, but many say ‘we must stand strong’, and they always want someone else to tell them how long they need to stand strong, preferably until the next election.”
Zelenskyy also revealed there would be trilateral meetings in the United Arab Emirates on Friday and Saturday involving Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. He added the Russians “have to be ready for compromises” for the war to end.
‘Nothing has changed’
In a week where the focus in Davos has been on U.S. threats to annex Greenland, its tariffs on European countries and a new Gaza “Board of Peace,” Zelenskyy began his speech saying Europe’s inaction left his country feeling like it was living through “Groundhog Day.”
Zelenskyy said: “Just last year here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words, ‘Europe needs to know how to defend itself.’ A year has passed and nothing has changed. We are still in a situation where I must say the same words.”
“When united, we are truly invincible, and Europe can and must be a global force, not one that reacts late,” he added.
A bruise can be seen on the back of U.S. President Donald Trump’s left hand during a signing ceremony for the “Board of Peace” at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on January 22, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland.
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Trump’s maneuvering on Greenland was the backdrop to many politicians’ speeches at the gathering. Zelenskyy criticized the small number of soldiers NATO countries sent to the Arctic island amid Trump’s threats.
“If you send 30 or 40 soldiers to Greenland, what is that for? What message does it send? What’s the message to Putin? To China? And even more importantly, what message does it send to Denmark?
“You either declare that European bases will protect the region from Russia and China …. or you risk not being taken seriously, because 30 or 40 soldiers will not protect anything.”
Other pressing issues have been sidelined while European leaders were “waiting for America to cool down” on Greenland, Zelenskyy suggested.
“There was so much talk about the protests in Iran, but they drowned in blood. The world has not helped enough the Iranian people,” he said.
