Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has delivered a scathing rebuke to European leaders, accusing them of being in a state of "Greenland mode" – meaning they're waiting passively for others, particularly Donald Trump, to take the lead on crucial global issues. The Ukrainian president's remarks came at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he urged Europe to stop relying on the United States and start defending itself.
In his speech, Zelenskyy criticized Europeans for being "not sure what to do" about various crises, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and for waiting for an increasingly unpredictable White House to take action. He pointed out that sending a token number of soldiers to Greenland – which has been at the center of a heated debate over whether it should be sold to China – is not a meaningful response to any threat.
Instead of placing blame on Trump's administration, Zelenskyy placed the burden squarely on European shoulders, saying they need to learn how to defend themselves. He argued that sending just 14 or 40 soldiers to Greenland sends a weak message and is unlikely to deter Russia from its aggression. Moreover, he suggested that Ukraine could help Europe in the event of a Russian invasion of Greenland.
Zelenskyy also called for Europe to take a more robust stance against Russia's shadow fleet of oil tankers, which fuel its war machine. He urged European leaders to stop relying on the belief that NATO will always respond and instead build their own united armed forces capable of defending the continent. In essence, Zelenskyy is saying that if Europe wants to be a serious global player, it needs to start taking action – not waiting for someone else to do so.
Trump's response to Zelenskyy's speech was muted, with the US president telling reporters that his meeting with Zelenskyy was "good" but that there is still much work to be done. Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff, however, expressed optimism about the prospects for a peace deal in Ukraine, saying that he and Kushner have identified one key issue to focus on and that it can be resolved.
Meanwhile, Russia appears to be taking a more aggressive stance, with Putin scheduling a meeting with Witkoff later this week. The fact that the Russians initiated the meeting is seen as a good sign by Witkoff, but Zelenskyy's words serve as a stark reminder that Europe cannot rely on others to take action in the face of existential threats – it must learn to defend itself.
In his speech, Zelenskyy criticized Europeans for being "not sure what to do" about various crises, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and for waiting for an increasingly unpredictable White House to take action. He pointed out that sending a token number of soldiers to Greenland – which has been at the center of a heated debate over whether it should be sold to China – is not a meaningful response to any threat.
Instead of placing blame on Trump's administration, Zelenskyy placed the burden squarely on European shoulders, saying they need to learn how to defend themselves. He argued that sending just 14 or 40 soldiers to Greenland sends a weak message and is unlikely to deter Russia from its aggression. Moreover, he suggested that Ukraine could help Europe in the event of a Russian invasion of Greenland.
Zelenskyy also called for Europe to take a more robust stance against Russia's shadow fleet of oil tankers, which fuel its war machine. He urged European leaders to stop relying on the belief that NATO will always respond and instead build their own united armed forces capable of defending the continent. In essence, Zelenskyy is saying that if Europe wants to be a serious global player, it needs to start taking action – not waiting for someone else to do so.
Trump's response to Zelenskyy's speech was muted, with the US president telling reporters that his meeting with Zelenskyy was "good" but that there is still much work to be done. Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff, however, expressed optimism about the prospects for a peace deal in Ukraine, saying that he and Kushner have identified one key issue to focus on and that it can be resolved.
Meanwhile, Russia appears to be taking a more aggressive stance, with Putin scheduling a meeting with Witkoff later this week. The fact that the Russians initiated the meeting is seen as a good sign by Witkoff, but Zelenskyy's words serve as a stark reminder that Europe cannot rely on others to take action in the face of existential threats – it must learn to defend itself.
, but at the same time, I think Zelenskyy is spot on - we can't just sit around waiting for someone else to save us, right? 
But then again, what if Europe does start taking matters into its own hands and things get out of control? 
Like, will they be able to handle the responsibility or will they just make things worse? 
It's all so confusing... 
I mean, Zelenskyy says Europeans are in a state of "Greenland mode" but what about the US being in the same boat? 
Ugh, my brain hurts trying to figure this out...
he's right europe can't just sit back and wait for someone else to take the lead, especially when it comes to security issues. we need to see more action from our leaders not just a bunch of empty promises. i mean sending 14 or 40 soldiers to greenland isn't exactly going to scare russia off 
can't believe what Ukraine's prez said about European leaders being like "greenland mode" lol, it's like they're just chillin' waiting for someone else to start a fight 
. And Zelenskyy is all "hey guys wake up and take responsibility" 
like, no kidding, Europe needs to stop relying on the US to save them 
. And I'm loving how Zelenskyy is all "if you want to be a serious global player, you gotta step up your game" 
. Meanwhile Trump's over here like "my meeting with Zelenskyy was good" 
and Steve Witkoff is trying to spin it like they're getting close to a peace deal 
its all about the wait game, fam... europe is stuck in greenland mode and zelenskyy is calling them out for it 
theyre not doing enough to defend themselves against russia's aggression 
and china too 
we need europe to step up their defense game ASAP or else theyll be left holding the bag 
meanwhile trump is over here saying his meeting with zelenskyy was "good" but lets be real, hes just waiting for someone else to take action 
It's about time Europeans started taking ownership of their own security instead of relying on someone else to bail them out. And what's with the Greenland thing? It's like they're just throwing up a token effort while Russia is just sitting back and waiting for Europe to figure it out 
I think Zelenskyy is right on point here 
while Russia's aggression escalates. It's not Trump or anyone else's fault that Europe can't seem to take charge of its own destiny 
. And can you imagine if Ukraine became a major player in defending Greenland? That's some serious global realignment happening right now 
! Maybe Europe needs a wake-up call, but I think Zelenskyy is offering them one with a healthy dose of realism 
come on europe 
, Europeans need to step up their game. I mean, Greenland mode? It's just not going to cut it when it comes to global security 
.
.
. They need to start taking action and defending themselves, not just waiting for someone else to do so 
. It's about time they stopped being passive observers and took ownership of their own security 
. Zelenskyy is right on point, and his emphasis on European unity is music to my ears 
. We need more leaders like him who aren't afraid to take bold action 
. And let's not forget that the US isn't exactly setting a great example either 