Trump and Zelensky: "Productive Meeting... Trilateral Talks With Russia Set for the 23rd"

Zelensky Criticizes EU
Urges More Active Measures

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met in Davos, Switzerland, during the World Economic Forum (WEF, also known as the Davos Forum) to discuss a plan to end the war. Both sides agreed that discussions on the peace proposal were in their final stages and decided to hold a trilateral meeting with Russian officials.

Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine. Photo by AP Yonhap News

According to Bloomberg and other sources on January 22 (local time), President Trump and President Zelensky held a one-hour discussion on Ukraine's security guarantees and plans for economic reconstruction. It was reported that the two leaders discussed a wide range of issues, including not only existing topics such as Ukraine's air defense network, but also procedures related to substantive negotiations.

After the meeting, both sides gave positive assessments. President Trump stated, "We will see what happens next," and urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to "end the war."

President Zelensky also said, "The meeting was productive and substantive," and evaluated that "the documents on the peace proposal with the United States are well prepared." He added, "NATO exists with the belief that the United States will take action," emphasizing that "security guarantees do not function without the United States and support from President Trump is necessary."

He further announced, "From January 23, for two days, officials from the United States, Russia, and Ukraine will meet in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to continue discussions on the peace proposal." Steve Witkoff, the U.S. presidential envoy, is also scheduled to meet with President Putin in Russia on this day to discuss the peace plan.

In a speech following the meeting, President Zelensky highlighted divisions among European allies and stressed that Europe must take a more active stance in checking Russia. He criticized the European Union's mindset, stating, "Most leaders are just waiting for the United States to become silent regarding the Greenland issue." He also blamed the lack of will within the EU, referencing the failure of a proposal to use Russia's frozen assets to support Ukraine at last month's EU summit.

President Zelensky urged Europe to take concrete action, such as completely banning imports of Russian oil and preventing Russia from accessing missile components, similar to the United States. He warned, "Europe remains a fragmented kaleidoscope," and cautioned, "If you do not help those fighting for democracy, the consequences will eventually come back like a boomerang." AFP noted that these remarks marked a clear departure from the typically mild rhetoric Zelensky has shown toward the EU, his main political and financial backer.