Documents aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine are nearly ready. This was the outcome of the meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump, according to Zelenskyy.
Comments on the Meeting’s Progress
On January, 22 Zelenskyy and Trump met in Davos on the sidelines of the annual World Economic Forum. Serhii Nikiforov, Press Secretary of the President of Ukraine, said the meeting lasted slightly over an hour. Toward the end, the two leaders spoke one-on-one without aides present.
Zelenskyy described the meeting as productive and substantive.
“We discussed the work of our teams, and practically every day there are meetings or communication. The documents are now even better prepared. We also spoke today about air defense for Ukraine,” – the president reported on social media platform X.
In comments to the press, Trump said the United States would meet with Russia the following day. He also noted that everyone wants the war to come to an end.
Main Points of Zelenskyy’s Speech
Zelenskyy opened his speech at the World Economic Forum by recalling his address from the previous year, which he concluded with the words: “Europe must know how to defend itself.” He emphasized that despite the passage of a year, nothing has changed.
The Ukrainian president criticized Europe for inaction. According to him, Europe failed to develop a clear response to the situation surrounding protests in Iran.
Zelenskyy also pointed out that Russian President Vladimir Putin remains free, while Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro has faced legal proceedings. He noted that Putin continues to fight for access to frozen Russian assets, and that when the time came to use those assets to defend against Russian aggression, the decision was blocked. He further stressed that a special tribunal for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has yet to be established. Zelenskyy also criticized Europe for allowing Russian oil to continue being transported along its coastlines.
Addressing security guarantees, Zelenskyy noted that they apply only to the post-war period, while no effective mechanisms are in place to help achieve a ceasefire. The Ukrainian leader urged European countries to stand with Ukraine, warning that otherwise they risk being disregarded. In his view, only together with Ukraine can Europe respond to emerging challenges in a timely manner.
