Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a scathing critique of European inaction at the World Economic Forum on Thursday, declaring that the continent “looks lost” and remains trapped in endless repetition of failing to defend itself or decisively support Ukraine.
“Everyone remembers the great American film Groundhog Day, but no one would want to live like that,” Zelenskyy said. “Repeating the same thing for weeks, months, and of course, years. And yet that is exactly how we live now.”
The Ukrainian leader expressed frustration with Europe’s response to the crisis around Greenland, questioning the deployment of small troop contingents to the Arctic territory.
“If you send 14 or 40 soldiers to Greenland, what is that for? What message does it send?” Zelenskyy asked. “What is the message to Putin, to China? And even more importantly, what message does it send to Denmark, your close ally? Forty soldiers will not protect anything.”
Zelenskyy said a year had passed since his last Davos address warning Europe needed to learn self-defence, yet “nothing has changed”.
“Everyone turned attention to Greenland and it’s clear most leaders simply are not sure what to do about it,” Zelenskyy said. “And it seems like everyone is waiting for America to cool down. But what if it will not? What then?”
Zelenskyy criticised Europe’s fragmented response to global challenges, declaring the continent “still feels more like geography, history, tradition, not a great political power” and “remains a fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers.”
“Europe looks lost trying to convince the US president to change. But he will not change,” Zelenskyy said. “President Trump loves who he is. And he says he loves Europe but he won’t listen to this Europe.”
The Ukrainian leader offered his country’s naval expertise to address concerns about Russian vessels near Greenland, noting Ukraine had successfully targeted ships near Crimea.
“We will solve this problem with Russian ships,” he said. “They can sink near Greenland just like they sink near Crimea.”
He expressed frustration over Western reluctance to provide Ukraine with advanced weapons systems, saying diplomats advised against mentioning Tomahawks to Americans “not to spoil the mood”.
“Today they target Ukraine. Tomorrow it could be any NATO country,” Zelenskyy said of Russian missiles. “Wouldn’t it be easier and cheaper to cut Russia off from components making missiles, or destroy factories making them?”
“Europe remains in Greenland mode: maybe someone somewhere will do something,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian president further criticised Europe’s failure to respond to Iran’s brutal crackdown on protesters that killed thousands, contrasting the Tehran regime’s survival with Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro capture in Caracas on 3 January.
“If the (Tehran) regime survives, it sends a clear signal to every bully: kill enough people and stay in power,” he said.
“The fact remains, Maduro is on trial in New York. Sorry, but Putin is not on trial,” Zelenskyy added. “The man who started it is not only free, he’s still fighting for his frozen money in Europe.”
He questioned why Trump could seize shadow fleet tankers and oil while Europe could not, noting that oil funds the war against Ukraine. “If Putin has no money, there’s no war for Europe,” Zelenskyy said.
Regarding peace negotiations, Zelenskyy said documents on postwar security guarantees were “nearly ready,” but that Washington’s involvement remained key.
“No security guarantees work without the US,” he said. “The backstop of President Trump is needed.”
‘I want to stop it’
Zelenskyy arrived at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday morning for scheduled talks with US President Donald Trump, departing Ukraine where more than half of the capital Kyiv remained without power following sustained Russian bombardment.
Zelenskyy nearly skipped coming to the Swiss Alps resort town, where he had planned to finalise documents with US officials relating to postwar security guarantees and economic recovery.
On Tuesday he remained in Kyiv to focus on restoring power, but arrived in Switzerland two days later as the crisis deepened.
Approximately 4,000 buildings in Kyiv lacked heating on Wednesday, as temperatures plunged to -20C amid Ukraine’s coldest winter in years, almost four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“I want to stop it. It’s a horrible war,” Trump said at Davos on Wednesday.
A yearlong Trump administration push to halt Russia’s war has yielded no breakthrough despite repeated US deadlines, although efforts continued.
Trump’s Greenland demands largely eclipsed Ukraine discussions at the forum, with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warning on Wednesday the alliance risked losing focus on Ukraine’s defence needs.
“The main issue is not Greenland now, the main issue is Ukraine,” Rutte said, adding he was “a little bit worried that we might drop the ball focusing so much on these other issues.”