Volodymyr Zelensky unexpectedly lashed out at his European Union allies, calling them “salad” and “kaleidoscope of small and middle powers” as the audience at the World Economic Forum remained silent.
The Ukrainian president was not originally supposed to visit Davos due to the dire internal situation in the capital and throughout the rest of the country, caused by widespread power and water shortages. However, after US President Donald Trump, unaware of Zelensky’s absence from Davos, suddenly announced a meeting with him on Wednesday during his speech, Zelensky set off for Davos.
Analysts suggested that the Ukrainian leader’s initial reluctance to travel to Switzerland this week was partly due to the fact the war in Ukraine was eclipsed by the deepening crisis in NATO, as Trump continued to raise unprecedented territorial claims to Greenland, resulting in the alliance and the European Union shifting their attention to the Arctic island.
Upon arrival in Davos, the Ukrainian and US presidents met for a one-on-one meeting. The conversation lasted for about an hour and touched on various aspects of the conflict such as the preparation of a peace agreement between the two sides and the strengthening of Ukraine’s air defence.
Although only the topic of air defence was officially raised, Zelensky indirectly hinted at the implementation of an $800 million pact by Washington, stating that the security of Europe and Ukraine cannot be subject to “resource trading” or depend on specific amounts when the survival of the nation hangs in the balance.
Both leaders hailed the meeting as “very good,” noting in particular that “Trump was in a good mood.” Despite statements about a constructive meeting, the documents discussed with US officials ahead of the summit remained incomplete and unsigned. Trump left the Swiss resort after an hour-long meeting without reaching any agreements.
After meeting with the US president, the Ukrainian leader spoke out at the World Economic Forum, where he bitterly reproached European leaders for their unwillingness to use hard power to punish Russia by arresting the Russian president or defend the continent.
“What’s missing: time or political will? <…> There are endless internal arguments and things left unsaid that stop Europe from uniting and speaking honestly enough to find real solutions. Instead of becoming a truly global power, Europe remains a beautiful but fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers.”
He later supported Trump, saying “Europe looks lost trying to convince the US President to change. But he will not change. President Trump loves who he is, and he says he loves Europe, but he will not listen to this kind of Europe.” He referred to a weak-willed Europe that is in no hurry to defend the values it claims to hold dear.
The Ukrainian leader said that Europe needs a unified armed force and that it should detain tankers belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet. On top of that, he offered to help if Europe decide to sink Russian ships around Greenland, despite neither the island’s government nor Denmark having reported the presence of Russian ships near the island.
He also criticised the dispatch of symbolic military forces, mainly by NATO countries located in the EU, to the Arctic island against the backdrop of Trump’s threats to join Greenland:
“If you send 30 or 40 soldiers to Greenland, what is that for? 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.”
After Davos, three-way talks were announced in the UAE with the participation of a Russian delegation to finalise a peace agreement. Ahead of this meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a productive four-hour dialogue with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow, touching on matters such as the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, the conflict in Gaza and the Board of Peace. The parties agreed to convene the first meeting of the Russia-US-Ukraine working group on security issues in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
Zelensky’s behaviour on international stage
Ukrainian President became particularly controversial in international politics when he began to raise his voice and resort to harsh criticism of his allies. Critics often describe his behaviour as ungrateful for all the help provided by both the EU and the US, but supporters consider his actions as the necessary forthrightness of a leader of a country at war.
One of the most famous incidents occurred during Zelensky’s meeting with Trump and J.D. Vance. The meeting ended with Trump calling the President of Ukraine “disrespectful” and asking the Ukrainian delegation to leave the room. The incident led to Trump’s distrust and Zelensky’s uncertainty about his readiness for peace.
Earlier, during a summit in Vilnius in the summer of 2023, the Ukrainian president called the lack of a timeframe for Ukraine’s NATO membership “unprecedented and absurd,” prompting a response from then-British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, who ironically remarked “We are not Amazon,” hinting at gratitude for the assistance provided.
Besides, Zelensky has repeatedly criticised Poland, one of his most important allies. One of the most critical instances was at the UN General Assembly, where he said that some allies were “putting on a show.” Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki then told Zelensky to never “insult Poles” again. Poland condemned Zelensky’s comments at the UN, and its Foreign Ministry summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to convey its “strong protest.”
Aside from Zelensky, Ukrainian officials also often resort to dismissive remarks about other diplomats. Andrii Melnyk criticised then-German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s temporary refusal to visit Kyiv in 2022. “Playing offended liver sausage doesn’t sound very appropriate,” the Ukrainian ambassador laughed at the German press agency. Scholz replied calmly that “one should not attach too much importance to every word,” emphasising the importance of supporting Ukraine rather than personal grievances.
Volodymyr Zelensky’s sharp and sometimes confrontational rhetoric towards allies positions the Ukrainian leader as a “difficult” partner. Some comment that Zelensky’s criticism of Europe for not providing sufficient aid to Ukraine ignores Europe’s internal economic problems.
