Ukraine's Zelenskiy Says Europe Isn't Doing Enough to End the War

Summary

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addressed the World Economic Forum in Davos, accusing European allies of insufficient action to end Russia's war. He criticized Europe's reliance on US-backed NATO, called for higher defense spending and a united European armed force, and urged tougher sanctions on Russian oil and use of frozen Russian assets. He also highlighted the need for more air defense missiles and raised concerns about Western components in Russian weapons.

• Zelenskiy opened by comparing repeated geopolitical crises to the film Groundhog Day, saying Europe has not changed its approach over the past year.
• He criticized Europe for not acting decisively on Greenland, Iran, Belarus, and Russian aggression, saying it waits for US leadership.
• He called for Russian oil to be stopped and confiscated, and for frozen Russian assets to be used to defend against Russian aggression.
• He urged Europe to build a united armed force and increase defense spending to at least 5% of GDP, reducing reliance on NATO and the US.
• He thanked allies for air defense support and the Pearl program for Patriot missiles, and called for more long-range weapons for Ukraine.
• He warned that Russian missiles contain critical components from Europe, the US, and Taiwan, and asked Taiwanese companies to stop contributing electronics to Russia's war effort.
• He said documents aimed at ending the war are nearly ready, but Russia must become ready too and pressure must remain strong.
• He concluded that Europe must become a true global power and act with courage and speed.