Zelensky Rips Europe For Trying To ‘Change’ Trump Instead Of Defending Itself Against Global Threats

Shortly after a private meeting with President Donald Trump in Davos on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky walked out onto the World Economic Forum stage and blasted European leaders for trying to “change” Trump instead of focusing on defending themselves from global threats such as Russia and China.

Zelensky said that Europe seems to be stuck in “Groundhog Day,” referring to the 1993 film featuring Bill Murray. He argued that European powers have been repeating the same actions “for weeks, months, and of course, for years,” adding, “Every forum like this one proves it.”

“Just last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words, ‘Europe needs to know how to defend itself.’ A year has passed, and nothing has changed,” Zelensky said.

“Instead of taking the lead in defending freedom worldwide, especially when America’s focus shifts elsewhere, Europe looks lost trying to convince the U.S. president to change,” the Ukrainian president continued, adding, “Europe still feels more like geography, history, a tradition, not a real political force, not a great power.”

Zelensky highlighted Trump’s capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and America’s seizure of sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela and asked why European powers could not do the same with Russian oil tankers.

“Why can President Trump stop tankers from the shadow fleet and seize oil, but Europe doesn’t?” Zelensky asked. “Russian oil is being transported right along European shores. That oil funds the war against Ukraine. That oil helps destabilize Europe.”

Zelensky also mentioned Trump’s push for Greenland and criticized Europe’s response to the issue. Trump’s ramped-up effort to acquire Greenland has been a major focus of this year’s World Economic Forum as European leaders scramble to respond to the president’s plan. Many NATO countries deployed a small contingent of troops to Greenland to conduct military exercises as Trump discussed annexing the territory.

Zelensky slammed European leaders over the move.

“If you send 30 or 40 soldiers to Greenland, what is that for?” he asked. “What message does it send? What’s the message to Putin? To China? And even more importantly, what message does it send to Denmark? You either declare that European bases will protect the region from Russia and China … or you risk not being taken seriously, because 30 or 40 soldiers will not protect anything.”

The Ukrainian president then called on European countries to build up their fighting forces, and suggested that NATO is too reliant on the United States.

“Europe needs united armed forces that can truly defend Europe,” he said. “Today, Europe relies only on the belief that if danger comes, NATO will act, but no one has really seen the alliance in action.”

“Right now, NATO exists thanks to the belief that the United States will act, that it will not stand aside and will help,” Zelensky continued. “But what if it doesn’t?”