Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday criticised Europe’s limited role in shaping the future of the Ukraine war, saying the continent appears fragmented and ineffective, as he renewed calls for firm security guarantees from the United States following a meeting with US President Donald Trump in Davos.
Trump described his meeting with Zelenskyy as “good” and said efforts to end the nearly three-year war with Russia were advancing. “This war has to end. Everybody wants to have the war end,” Trump told reporters, adding that his envoy would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow later. “We’ll see how it turns out,” he said.
Zelenskyy said discussions with Trump were ongoing and that teams from both sides were working “almost every day” on documents aimed at ending the conflict. “It’s not simple,” he said, but added that the papers were “nearly, nearly ready.”
Speaking to reporters, Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine requires binding security guarantees from Washington to prevent any future Russian invasion. “No security guarantees work without the US,” he said, according to AFP. While France and the United Kingdom were prepared to commit forces on the ground, he said American backing was essential as a strategic “backstop”.
Zelenskyy also took aim at Europe’s response to the war, saying it lacked cohesion and influence. “Instead of becoming a truly global power, Europe remains a beautiful but fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers,” he said, adding that the continent appeared “lost trying to convince the US president to change.”
He further revealed that the United Arab Emirates would host trilateral talks involving Ukraine, the United States and Russia later this week. According to AFP, Zelenskyy said the meetings would be the first such format and would take place over two days. “Russians have to be ready for compromises,” he added.
Earlier on Thursday, Trump said peace efforts were “getting close”. “A lot of people are being killed. We’ve got to get it done,” he said.
Reuters had earlier reported that Zelenskyy agreed to attend the Davos meeting only if it could lead to concrete agreements with Trump on US security guarantees and funding for Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction.
The meeting comes amid renewed diplomatic momentum to bring an end to the conflict, even as Kyiv continues to push for assurances that any peace deal will not leave it vulnerable to renewed aggression.
