‘Europe needs to protect itself, take action to become global force,’ says Zelensky at Davos
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Europe needs to protect itself, take action to become global force,’ says Zelensky at Davos")
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaking at Davos on Thursday Photograph: (Screengrab from video on X)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticised the EU’s soft response on Greenland and called for a serious approach to Arctic security. He said sending 40 soldiers to Greenland doesn’t send a strong signal to Putin’s Russia or Xi’s China.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday spoke his mind about the inherent weaknesses in Europe and called for establishing united armed forces instead of always looking up to the United States. In his address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Zelensky said Europe ‘needs to protect itself’ and some countries have already started acting by investing more in security. “Europe needs to protect itself,” he said, before adding that many countries did not meet their 2.5% defence pledges until Trump pressed them.
“Europe can help build a better world. Europe must build a better world, and a world without war, of course. But for that, Europe needs strength. Leaders must have strength and act in time, and not wait for others to resolve their problems,” he added.
“If Europe is not seen as a global force, if its actions don’t scare bad actors, then Europe will always be reacting, catching up with new dangers and attacks.”
‘Sending 40 soldiers to Greenland doesn’t send a strong signal’
Zelensky also criticised EU’s soft response on Greenland and called for a serious approach to Arctic security.
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He said sending 40 soldiers to Greenland doesn’t send a strong signal to Putin’s Russia or Xi’s China.
“You either declare that European bases will protect the region from Russia and China and establish those bases, or you risk not being taken seriously, because 40 soldiers will not protect anything.”
He then pointedly criticised Europe for not doing enough in Belarus, allowing Moscow to expand its sphere of influence and station Russian missiles there. “When you refuse to help people fighting for freedom, the consequences return, and they are always negative?”
“Europe loves to discuss the future, but avoids taking action today, action that will define what kind of future we will have,” he added.
‘Ukraine has the means to protect Greenland’
Zelensky further said that Ukraine has the means to protect Greenland.
“We know how to fight there. We would solve the problem if we were in Nato, but we are not.”
He added that Ukraine can help with its expertise as it knows how to “sink [ships] near Greenland, just as [we] do near Crimea.”
“Everyone turned attention to Greenland, and it’s clear most leaders simply are not sure what to do about it. And it seems like everyone is just waiting for America to cool down on this topic, hoping it will pass away. But what if it will not? What then?”
‘Nato exists thanks to belief that US will act’
Zelensky said Europe needs “united armed forces that can truly defend it today.”
“Europe relies only on the belief that if danger comes, Nato will act. But no one has really seen the alliance in action,” he added.
“If Putin decides to take Lithuania or strike Poland, who will respond? Right now, Nato exists thanks to believe that the United States will act, that it will not stand aside and will help. But what if it doesn’t?”
Some European leaders hope the problem will disappear, but thanks to the US, they are actually ramping up defence and security arrangements.
Also Read: ‘Globalisation failed the West and US’: says US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick at Davos 2026
‘The world did not help the Iranian people enough’
The Ukrainian leader also mentioned the recent unrest in Iran and said there was “so much talk about the protests in Iran, but they drowned in blood” as “the world has not helped enough the Iranian people” as everyone was distracted by Christmas and New Year celebrations.
“And what will Iran become after this bloodshed? If the regime survives, it sends a clear signal to every bully, kill enough people and you stay in power.”
