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Zelenskyy criticises EU's soft response on Greenland, calls for serious approach to Arctic security
Zelenskyy then says that sending 40 soldiers to Greenland doesn’t send a strong signal to Putin’s Russia or Xi’s China – or even to Denmark, Europe’s close ally.
“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 says Ukraine can help with expertise as it knows how to “sink [ships] near Greenland, just as [we] do near Crimea.”
He then pointedly criticises 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?”
He mockingly summarises European response as “maybe someday someone will do something.”
He then calls for more sanctions on Russia, warning:
“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.”
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Europe remains 'beautiful but fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers'
Zelenskyy says he is often told not to raise Tomahawks missiles with Americans “not to spoil the mood,” or not mention Taurus missiles, or be careful talking to Turkey and Greece.
He says:
“In Europe, there are endless internal arguments and things left unsaid that stop Europe from uniting and speaking honestly enough to find real solutions. And too often, Europeans turn against each other, leaders, parties, movements and communities, instead of standing together to stop Russia.”
He warns, in a European adaptation of Carney’s speech from Tuesday, that Europe “remains a beautiful but fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers.”
He says the problem is European mindset, with leaders not always standing up for truly European interests.
“And Europe still feels more like a geography, history, a tradition, not a real political force, not a great power. Some Europeans are really strong, it’s true, but many say we must stand strong, and they always want someone else to tell them how long they need to stand strong, preferably until the next election.”
Ouch.
Zelenskyy then warns that Russia “tries to freeze Ukrainians now” at -20 degrees, and says that despite sanctions it continues to get support from partners in Europe as it finds ways to bypass sanctions.
“Europe says almost nothing. America says nothing, and Putin makes missiles.”
He helps for all support for Ukraine, but says “would it not be cheaper and easier to just cut Russia off the components it needs for missiles production or even destroy the factories making them?”
Zelenskyy continues:
“We all see that the forces trying to destroy Europe … They operate freely, even operate inside Europe.
Every Viktor who lives off European money while trying to sell out European interests deserves a smack upside the head, and if he feels comfortable in Moscow it does not mean we should let European capitals become little Moscows.”
I will let you deduce for yourself which particular European leader he’s thinking about there.
Zelenskyy criticises EU's soft response on Greenland, calls for serious approach to Arctic security
Zelenskyy then says that sending 40 soldiers to Greenland doesn’t send a strong signal to Putin’s Russia or Xi’s China – or even to Denmark, Europe’s close ally.
“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 says Ukraine can help with expertise as it knows how to “sink [ships] near Greenland, just as [we] do near Crimea.”
He then pointedly criticises 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?”
He mockingly summarises European response as “maybe someday someone will do something.”
He then calls for more sanctions on Russia, warning:
“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.”
'Nato exists thanks to belief that US will act,' Zelenskyy warns, as he asks 'what if not?'
Zelenskyy then turns to Europe’s defence and says the continent needs “united armed forces that can truly defend Europe today.”
He says “Europe relies only on the belief that if danger comes, Nato will act. But no one has really seen the alliance in action.”
“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?”
He says some European leaders “hope the problem will disappear,” and others start acting, but it’s only thanks to the US that they are actually ramping up its defence and security arrangements.
Zelenskyy continues.
“Europe loves to discuss the future, but avoids taking action today, action that will define what kind of future we will have.”
Zelenskyy then points to the US success in stoping oil tankers, contrasting this with “Russian oil being transported right along European shores” uninterrupted.
Zelenskyy criticises Europe's inability to focus, respond to challenges
Zelenskyy also briefly mentions Iran, saying 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.
“By the time politicians came back to work and started forming a position there, Ayatollah has already killed 1000s.
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.”
He contrasts the EU’s inability to stay focused and be effective with Trump’s Venezuela operation, saying that for all the different opinions about it, Maduro is on trial in New York “and Putin is not.”
“And this is the fourth year of the biggest war in Europe since the second world war. And the man who started it is not only free, he is still fighting for his frozen money in Europe.”
He says Putin is even “having some success,” as he appears to be successful in deciding “how the frozen Russian assets should be used,” referencing last month’s inability of the EU to move ahead with seizing Russian assets.
He also says there is little progress on establishing a special tribunal on Russian crimes in Ukraine.
In a particularly bruising passage, he says:
“Many meetings have taken place, but still, Europe hasn’t reached even the point of having a home for the tribunal with staff and actual work happening inside.
What’s missing time or political will; too often in Europe something else is always more urgent than justice.”
'Everyone waiting for America to cool down' on Greenland, Zelenskyy says
He says every year throws new challenges to Europe, diverting attention from other problems.
“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?”
Ukraine has been living through its 'Groundhog Day' for 'weeks, months, years' under Russian aggression
Zelenskyy opens by saying “everyone remembers the great American film Groundhog Day.”
“But no one would want to live like that, repeating the same thing for weeks, months, and of course years, and yet that’s exactly how we live now.”
He says that a year ago, he said “Europe needs to know how to defend itself,” but “a year has passed and nothing has changed.”
Zelenskyy about to speak at Davos after Trump talks
I will bring you all the key lines from his speech here.
You can also watch along here:
As we wait for Zelenskyy, it’s worth noting a cheeky social media post from Poland’s outspoken foreign minister Radosław Sikorski.
He posted a video of his comments from a side event on Ukraine at Davos, in which he argued that “you have to put pressure not on the victim of the aggression, but on the aggressor,” and added this comment:
“The person to the left to whom I was giving side glances was Steve Witkoff.”
It is likely to be seen as a swipe at what central and eastern Europeans see as Witkoff’s troubling willingness to accept Putin’s explanations and his tendency to present both sides of the conflict as if they were equally responsible for the continuation of the war.
In his comments for Bloomberg on Wednesday, Witkoff said:
“They’re in a war and so they’re shooting at each other. And we don’t condone that. We think it’s unfortunate.”
Witkoff is expected in Moscow today, and he told Bloomberg the Russians “have invited us to come, and that’s a significant statement from them.”
“Everybody is embeded in the process and wants to see a peace deal happen,” he claimed.
He also claimed the US negotiators “made more progress in the last six or seven weeks since Geneva than we have made, according to the Ukrainians now, … than in the last three of four years.”
