Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed the first trilateral talks between the US, Russia and Ukraine will take place tomorrow amid fresh hopes of ending the four-year war.
The Ukrainian President said the three countries will meet in the United Arab Emirates following an hour-long meeting with Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
In his speech, Zelensky attacked Europe for what he described as a lack of political will to confront Vladimir Putin as he called for a change of mindset.
He said: Instead of becoming a truly global power, Europe remains a beautiful but fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers.
‘When united we are truly invincible and Europe can and must be a global force, not one that reacts late, but one that defines the future.’
Both Zelensky and Trump said their meeting was ‘very good’ as the US President told reporters, ‘everybody wants to have the war end’ before departing Davos.
Meanwhile Greenland has lashed out at Donald Trump’s ‘unacceptable’ deal for the US to have ‘total access’ to the Arctic territory.
Greenland’s deputy prime minister Mute Egede said the country must not be ‘gambled with’ as he critcised any move to cede territory following talks between Trump and NATOSecretary General Mark Rutte.
It comes as Trump said he had reached a framework agreement on Greenland’s future as NATO military officers discuss an arrangement where Denmark would cede ‘small pockets of Greenlandic’ territory to the US, where it could build military bases.
Mr Egede said: ‘Whatever pressure others may exert, our country will neither be given away, nor will our future be gambled with. It is unacceptable to attempt to hand our land to others. This is our land – we are the ones who shape its future.’
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Zelensky slams EU’s ‘lack of will’ to deal with Putin but says deal to end war is ‘nearly ready’
Volodymyr Zelensky has slammed the EU’s ‘lack of will’ to deal with Vladimir Putin but said he had a ‘very good’ meeting with Donald Trump, adding that a peace deal is nearly ready.
Speaking in Davos on Thursday, the Ukrainian president said discussions with Trump had been positive, adding: ‘We spoke about documents and about air defence.’
The US President also commented on the talks, telling reporters the meeting was ‘good,’ but ‘we’ll see how it turns out’ adding: ‘This war has to end.’
During his address at the World Economic Forum, Zelensky told the audience: ‘We met with President Trump, and our teams are working almost every day. It’s not simple. The documents aimed at ending this war are nearly, nearly ready.’
‘Ukraine is working with full honesty and determination and that brings results.’
Zelensky also criticised Europe for what he described as a lack of ‘political will’ to deal with Vladimir Putin.
Accusing Europe of inaction over criminal investigations into Russia, Zelensky said: ‘It’s true many meetings have taken place, but still Europe hasn’t reached even the point of having a home for the tribunal, with stuff and actual work happening inside.
‘What’s missing? Time or political will? Too often in Europe, something else is always more urgent than justice.’
Zelensky reveals he discussed post-war recovery with Trump
Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he discussed security guarantees and a plan for post-war recovery during his meeting with Donald Trump in Davos.
Zelenskiy also said the two talked about the sequence of how to bring ongoing talks on ending the war to ‘real negotiations’.
Both leaders described the meeting as ‘very good’ with trilateral talks scheduled to take place in the UAE tomorrow with Russia aimed at resolving the war.
Trump claims Nato troops ‘stayed off the front lines’ in Afghanistan
Donald Trump has aimed another barb at Nato allies, claiming European personnel stayed ‘off the front lines’ in Afghanistan.
It comes after Nato secretary general Mark Rutte felt compelled to deliver a reality check to the US President, who tried to make the case at the World Economic Forum (WEF) that the Western alliance would not ‘be there for us’ if America came calling.
In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Trump said: ‘I’ve always said, will they be there if we ever needed them? That’s really the ultimate test, and I’m not sure of that.’
‘We’ve never needed them,’ he said. ‘They’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan … and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the frontlines.’
In contrast, ‘we’ve been very good to Europe and to many other countries’, Trump said, referencing the US, but added: ‘It has to be a two-way street.’
Zelensky – ‘Fragmented’ Europe can become a global force
Europe can be a global force but looks ‘fragmented’ and ‘lost’ as it faces challenges from Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Calling for a change in mindset, Zelensky said: ‘Instead of becoming a truly global power, Europe remains a beautiful but fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers.
‘When united we are truly invincible and Europe can and must be a global force, not one that reacts late, but one that defines the future.’
He said Europe was yet to form a ‘united position’ on Donald Trump’s Board of Peace and Greenland as examples of how it looks ‘lost’ while facing challenges from the US.
Watch: Zelensky reveals US, Ukraine and Russia set for trilateral talks
Zelensky has revealed trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and US will start tomorrow in the UAE.
He suggested the idea was put forward by Washington during his Davos address.
Zelensky said: ‘I hope that the Emirates know about it. Yes. Sometimes we have such surprises from our American side.’
Watch his speech below:
Zelensky – We need US to stop Russia invading again
Ukraine needs security guarantees from the US to prevent Russia from invading again, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
While some European countries have committed to sending peacekeeping troops, the only way to stop Putin will be if the US is involved, he claimed.
‘The UK and France are ready to actually commit their forces on the ground… But the backstop of President Trump is needed.
‘And again, no security guarantees work without the US,’ Zelensky said in his address.
Watch: Zelensky says world is waiting for US to cool down on Greenland
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has told the World Economic Forum the world is waiting for the US to ‘cool down’ on Greenland as he makes his address.
Zelensky has also criticised Europe for what he described as a lack of ‘political will’ to deal with Vladimir Putin and said he held a ‘very good’ meeting with Donald Trump.
He told the crowd in Davos: ‘Why can President Trump stop tankers from the shadow fleet and seize oil, when Europe doesn’t? If Putin has no money, there is no war for Europe.’
On Trump, he said discussions had been positive, adding: ‘We spoke about documents and about air defence.’
Trump’s war of words with Macron escalates
Donald Trump’s war of words with Emmanuel Macron has escalated after France dismissed the US President’s latest jibes as ‘fake news’ in a meme on social media.
It comes after Trump asserted during his speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland that he had pressured President Macron into hiking domestic drug prices, after the US leader threatened sweeping tariffs on French imports to America.
Elsewhere in the speech, Trump imitated Macron’s French accent, and mocked him for wearing aviator sunglasses the day before, which were intended to conceal an eye injury.
‘It is being claimed that President @Emmanuel Macron increased the price of medicines,’ the French presidency wrote on social media platform X.
‘He does not set their prices. They are regulated by the social security system and have, in fact, remained stable. Anyone who has set foot in a French pharmacy knows this.’
The Elysee used a GIF of Trump mouthing the words ‘fake news’ in front of a microphone, with the same words in writing underneath.
Trump warns Europe faces major reprisals if US Treasury bonds are dumped
President Donald Trump warned Thursday of major reprisals if European countries dumped key holdings of US Treasury bonds to pressure Washington, as temperatures fluctuated over the future of Greenland.
‘If that would happen, there would be a big retaliation on our part, and we have all the cards,’ Trump said on Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria.”
But he acknowledged that European countries had notable holdings of US Treasury securities.
Trump’s remarks came after tensions flared over the fate of the autonomous Danish territory of Greenland – which the US leader covets.
The American president has repeatedly said that the United States, the key force in NATO, deserves Greenland as it would be forced to defend the island against Russia or China. Neither of those countries holds any claim to the territory.
Trump departs Davos
President Donald Trump’s motorcade has departed Davos, Switzerland, after two days of delivering speeches and attending high-level meetings.
Due to inclement weather in the Swiss Alps, the president was motorcading back to the Zurich Airport, where he’ll take Air Force One back to the United States.
He was originally scheduled to return to Joint Base Andrews around 5 p.m. ET.
Watch: Trump says he had ‘very good’ meeting with Zelensky
Donald Trump has described his meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky as ‘very good’ following their hour-long talk at Davos.
Speaking to cameras afterwards, Trump said: ‘We’re meeting with Russia, that’ll take place tomorrow and we’re going to be meeting with president Putin.
‘I had a very good meeting with president Zelenskyy, everybody wants to have the war end.’
Asked whether there’s a chance of getting a deal today, he added: ‘We’ll have to see what happens’.
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Zelensky reveals US, Ukraine and Russia to hold talks tomorrow on ending war as he attacks ‘lost’ Europe in Davos speech
