‘Will President Trump even notice Europe?’ Volodymyr Zelenskyy asks
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Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has been unrelenting in his criticism of Europe’s weakness, saying the region could lose its importance unless it invests heavily in its own defense.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Zelensky said on Tuesday that Donald Trump’s return to the White House means that Europe and the United States must prepare to leave their security.
“Does President Trump even care about Europe? Does he see NATO as important?” Zelensky asked.
Ukraine’s president said that while Western allies saw the United States as an important security partner, no one was thinking about Europe.
“Does anyone in America worry that Europe will one day abandon them? The answer is no.”
He added that it was “not even clear” that the Europeans would have a role in any negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
“Europe should be more than a bystander as the leaders are reduced to sticking to X after an agreement has already been reached. Europe should shape the terms of those agreements,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky endorsed Trump’s call for NATO members to spend 5 percent of their GDP on defense.
“If it takes 5 percent of GDP to cover defense, so be it.”
Zelensky has said he wants Trump to end the war quickly — even though the US president and his advisers recently said it could take six months to reach an agreement, not the 24 hours his campaign boasted. He also did not address Trump supporters who have called for the US to end aid to Ukraine.
He described his relationship with Trump as “good,” but said some of the president’s allies have issued misinformation about Ukraine and Russian propaganda, so it’s even more important for Europe to have a strong voice to counter those messages.
Zelensky reiterated his plea for Europe to provide meaningful security guarantees to Kiev, arguing that NATO membership is beyond Ukraine’s reach due to uncertainty in Washington and other capitals.
French President Emmanuel Macron has been sounding European allies about his desire to deploy troops to Ukraine after the ceasefire, either to train Ukrainian forces or to deter further Russian incursions. However, the idea has so far gained little traction.
“If the security is weak . . . Then you will only get words from Russia and they will return with a war,” Zelensky said.
He said he would oppose any attempt by Russia to impose limits on the size of Ukraine’s armed forces as part of any peace deal with Moscow.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told WEF last Tuesday that the EU will stand by Ukraine even if the US cuts its support.
“We will continue to support Ukraine no matter what happens next,” she said.
