politics
January 22, 2026
Zelensky fires off on European leaders for little progress on ending war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized his fellow European leaders for making little progress in helping end the war and expanding their national defenses in a fiery speech at the Davos World Economic Forum.
TL;DR
- Zelensky criticized European leaders for avoiding action and prolonging the war, stating "Europe loves to discuss the future, but avoids taking action today."
- He noted that a year after urging Europe to "know how to defend itself," nothing has changed, citing internal arguments that prevent unity against Russia.
- Zelensky compared the situation to "Groundhog Day" and questioned why Russian President Putin and Russian tankers have not been seized, unlike Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.
- French President Emmanuel Macron announced the seizure of a Russian oil tanker suspected of flying a false flag, coinciding with Zelensky's speech.
- Zelensky offered Ukraine's expertise and weapons to help sink Russian warships near Greenland, similar to actions near Crimea.
- Zelensky met with President Donald Trump, describing the meeting about peace talks as productive, with Trump dispatching envoys to Moscow.
- Trump's proposal to acquire Greenland had been a major focus of the forum, overshadowing the war in Ukraine.
- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte urged leaders to refocus on supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression.
- Zelensky praised Trump's pressure on Europe to increase defense spending, noting that many countries now meet or exceed the 2% GDP target after Russia's invasion.
- Zelensky observed that Europe appears lost and tries to convince the U.S. president to change, but Trump "loves who he is" and will not change his stance.
- Zelensky highlighted that Europe's defense spending increased significantly after Russia invaded Ukraine, with more countries hitting the 2% GDP mark.
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