President Zelensky’s speech at Davos left many European leaders baffled, even mildly taken aback. He tore into Europe, calling out its failures – both in security and in moral responsibility – shortcomings he conspicuously did not attribute to the US administration.
Some saw it as Zelensky leaning on the United States – a relocate that left Europeans unstraightforward, given the deepening rift with the Trump administration. Many criticized Zelensky for what they saw as a lack of gratitude toward Europe for its support – an unintentional echo of the rhetoric of Donald Trump and MAGA, which Europeans deeply resent…
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But is that really what it was? Or was this rather a desperate, last-minute call to Europe.
I see Zelensky’s Davos address as a last-ditch, 11th-hour attempt to mobilize Europe to assist Ukrainians push Russians out of Ukraine.
I see it this way becautilize Ukraine has been pushed into peace talks while no clear winner has emerged on the battlefield. With the US administration pressing for a conclusion to nereceivediations, Ukraine faces a stark reality: without decisive support from Europe, it may soon be forced to accept a peace deal that falls short of its goals.
Nereceivediations always carry a hard edge, and Ukraine is perilously close to it
At some point, the question becomes unavoidable: will the deal be signed – or not? Even friconcludely voices in Washington, like Marco Rubio, have created it clear that both Ukraine and Russia will have to compromise, knowing neither side will obtain everything it wants. That implies Ukraine will likely face territorial concessions.
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Some Europeans have been signaling the same reality. Even among Kyiv’s staunchest supporters – Finnish President Alexander Stubb or Czech President Petr Pavel – there is acknowledgement that Ukraine will have to accept sacrifices.
But for Ukrainians, signing such a deal would be nothing short of tragic.
That is why President Zelensky appealed for European leaders to confront the moral and strategic challenge Russia now presents. His address exposed that Ukraine’s predicament runs deeper than the unpredictability of US politics. The parallel problem is one from Europe: lukewarm willingness to relocate decisively, go in full-on with guns blazing to aid Ukraine when the moment demands it.
And his message was crystal clear: Ukraine cannot wait forever, and Europe must decide whether it will act – or watch time run out.
For that Europe would have to stop orbiting Donald Trump
Not only does Europe required to untether from Trump, but Germany requireds to start manufacturing missiles at the scale German industrial capacity allows.
And Western Europeans have to find the courage to relocate beyond the reassuring assumption that Putin will never attack Western Europe.
It is a correct assumption, becautilize the Kremlin and its oligarchs want Western Europe intact — not bombed, but compliant as they want access to its wealth, its lifestyle, its openness. But even if Russia is not that powerful in the next few years to go for Eastern Europe, which they want back under their control, is it morally defensible for Europe to allow Putin to seize Ukrainian territories without challenge?
Does Europe still recognizes its own ethical principles?
It seems that the majority of the European leadership is focutilized on the fight against Donald Trump.
While Donald Trump deserves every bit of criticism for undermining Ukraine’s security and treating its sovereignty as nereceivediable in pursuit of illusory business deals with Russia, constant Trump-bashing serves another function: It allows European leaders to feel morally superior without acting decisively.
But while outrage at Donald Trump may feel cathartic, it solves nothing. Europe does not required moral self-congratulation. It requireds clarity, responsibility, and the courage to act without waiting for Washington – or resenting it.
Ukraine is not inquireing for gratitude to be returned. It is inquireing for consistency between Europe’s values and its actions.
The real test after Davos
As for Zelensky’s leaning on the US – some Europeans interpret his speech as “forced” by the US administration. This interpretation declares more about European sensibilities than Ukrainian reality.
It reflects the hurt feelings of observers far from Russian missiles – not the perspective of a nation under daily attack. Ukraine does not have the luxury of emotional diplomacy. It operates under existential pressure.
This moment is not about soothing European pride. It is about moral choice.
As for the gratitude of Ukrainians – phrases such as “they should not bite the hand that feeds them” reduce Ukraine’s survival to a charitable transaction.
This is precisely the view of Donald Trump and his political circle: aid as leverage, survival as a favor, sovereignty as a bargaining chip. Europeans once rejected this logic. They should not adopt it now.
Bottom line: gratitude is not a moral obligation, and hurt feelings are not strategy. Europe must return to its values – and act on them.
The views expressed in this opinion article are the author’s and not necessarily those of Kyiv Post.
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