Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized European leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, saying their response to Russia’s invasion has been slow and fragmented and that his repeated warnings have become a “Groundhog Day” cycle.
In a speech delivered at the WEF, Zelenskyy listed grievances about Europe’s response to Russia’s continued international aggression, saying Europe’s stance has left Ukraine facing President Vladimir Putin amid an ongoing push by the United States for a peace settlement. He said, “Europe looks lost,” and urged the continent to become a global force.
Zelenskyy referenced the movie “Groundhog Day,” in which a character relives the same day over and over. He said that, just last year in Davos, he warned that “Europe needs to know how to defend itself,” and then said, “A year has passed. And nothing has changed. We are still in a situation where I must say the same words again.”
He also said Ukrainians, too, appear to be trapped in that reality of repeating the same message for “weeks, months and, of course, for years,” adding, “And yet that is exactly how we live now. It’s our life.” He contrasted Europe’s approach with what he described as Washington’s steps in other areas, according to the report.
Zelenskyy said European countries have provided financial, military and humanitarian support for Kyiv but that not all European Union members are helping. He also cited political disagreements within Europe over how to deal with Russia and what he portrayed as slow-moving responses.
He further criticized Europe for failing to act quickly on decisions he said are critical to Ukraine’s defense, including spending too little on defense. In the speech, he said Europe had not stopped Russia’s “shadow fleet” of oil tankers that he said are breaking international sanctions, and he said Europe has balked at using frozen assets in Europe to finance Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said Europe still feels “more like a geography, history, a tradition, not a real political force, not a great power.” He added that while some Europeans are “really strong,” many “want someone else to tell them how long they need to stand strong, preferably until the next election.”
The speech came after Zelenskyy met behind closed doors with U.S. President Donald Trump in Davos for about an hour. Trump described the meeting as “very good,” and Zelenskyy called it “productive and meaningful.” After the meeting, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he had a good meeting but said, “I had a good meeting, but I’ve had numerous good meetings with President Zelenskyy and it doesn’t seem to happen.”
Trump said both Putin and Zelenskyy want a deal and that “everyone’s making concessions” to try to end the war. He also said the sticking points remain the same and that “boundaries” was a key issue, adding, “The main hold-up is the same things that’s been holding it up for the last year.” Trump said he and Zelenskyy discussed how Ukrainians are surviving the cold winter without heat, calling it “amazing” how residents have persevered while facing relentless Russian strikes, but saying, “It’s no way to live.”
The AP report said Russia has captured about 20% of Ukraine since hostilities began in 2014 and its full-scale invasion in 2022, while battlefield gains along the front line have been costly for Moscow. It also said the Russian economy is feeling consequences from the war and international sanctions, while Ukraine remains short of money and still needs Western weaponry.
The report said Ukraine’s defense minister last week reported about 200,000 troop desertions and draft-dodging by about 2 million Ukrainians. It added that Zelenskyy is also seeking to keep international attention focused on Ukraine amid other conflicts.
Zelenskyy’s comments followed U.S.-led diplomacy that includes further talks involving Ukraine and Russia. Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow late Thursday for talks with Putin for more than 3 hours, according to the Kremlin. Witkoff said at Davos that one major issue remains unresolved in negotiations but did not say what it was.
In the report, Zelenskyy said the future status of land in eastern Ukraine occupied by Russia is unresolved, but that peace proposals are “nearly ready.” He said that two days of trilateral meetings involving the U.S., Ukraine and Russia are due to begin Friday in the United Arab Emirates, and that “Russians have to be ready for compromises because, you know, everybody has to be ready, not only Ukraine.”
Zelenskyy said he thanked Trump for providing U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems that he said can help stop Russian missiles hitting Ukraine’s power grid, and he said he asked Trump for more. The report also said that after Trump cut support for Ukraine, other NATO countries began buying weapons from the U.S. to donate to Kyiv under a special financial arrangement.