Zelensky Questions Trump’s Commitment to Europe

Date: 21 January 2025 - 22:24

News ID: ۱۳۶۰۸۳

DAVOS (Dispatches) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky questioned whether his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump was committed to NATO and European security in an address to the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday.
“Will President Trump even notice Europe? Does he see NATO as necessary? And will he respect EU institutions?” Zelensky asked in the speech, which called for Europe to become more self-reliant.
Zelensky also said Europe should develop a joint defense policy and be willing to increase spending to ensure it can guarantee its own security.
“We need a united European security and defense policy,” the Ukrainian leader said, adding that, “all European countries must be willing to spend as much on security as is truly needed” and that “Europe must be able to guarantee peace and security for itself.”
Zelensky said Europe must be “loud” when discussing the war in Ukraine with Trump so that he “understands the details and risks” of negotiating peace with Russia. He acknowledged there are “voices around Trump delivering pro-Russian information” but repeated that Kiev has a “good relationship” with him.
While campaigning, Trump repeatedly threatened to slash aid for Ukraine and claimed he would end the war quickly, seemingly alluding to a negotiated peace with Moscow — something Kyiv has rejected unless it rules out giving up territory to Russia.
Zelensky said Ukraine no longer fully depends on foreign weapons and equipment, estimating that around 40% of its military supplies come from domestic production.
However, he said, Russia also increased its military production and that Europe is not scaling its defense industry up at the same pace.
He repeated his warnings that Ukraine needs more support, united allies in Europe and the United States, and clear security guarantees, without which Russia will go on to invade other European states.