Zelensky at WEF 2025: Europe must stop settling for second or third place and reclaim its authority on the global stage.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The president's key points:

* Trump's initial executive orders have already revealed clear priorities, and global leaders are asking what the U.S. intends to do. Yet, no one is questioning what Europe plans to do. Washington does not believe that Europe can offer anything truly significant to them.

* Will Trump respect Europe? Will he take it into account? Can Europe afford to be second or third? We are at a turning point – Europe must establish itself as a strong global player.

* There is no ocean separating Europe from Russia. Russia possesses nuclear weapons and the intent to make life unbearable for its neighbors. It is pursuing a path of warfare. Putin has signed agreements with Iran and North Korea. Who are these agreements against? Against all of us. We can only confront these threats together.

* Russia has millions of soldiers. Ukraine has 800,000 troops, with France in second place boasting a 200,000-strong army. Following them are Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. The rest have less. This is not a situation where one country can defend itself alone. It is a situation where we must all stand together to matter. To counter Russia, we need to unite all our European armies.

* It remains unclear if Europe will have a seat at the negotiating table. Will President Trump listen to it? We can see the significant influence China has on Russia. We are deeply grateful to Europe for all the support it has provided to our country during this war. But will President Trump heed Europe, or will he negotiate with Russia and China without its involvement? Europe must reclaim its authority as a strong global player.

* The world perceives Europe as a whole, so we need a common security policy. If 5% of GDP is needed to cover defense costs, then so be it; there should be no manipulation on this topic.

* Investing in the production of Ukrainian drones now is an investment in the security of all Europe.

* We – Ukraine and Europe – need to start producing air defense systems together, our own version of the "Iron Dome," to fend off all possible types of aerial threats.

* Europeans cannot continue buying gas from Moscow while expecting support from the U.S.

* Currently, Europe is lagging in the development of artificial intelligence. Today, TikTok algorithms are more powerful than some governments. The fate of small countries increasingly depends on the owners of tech companies rather than their laws. Today, Europe is not leading in the global tech race, falling behind both America and China. This is not trivial; it speaks to weakness: first technological and economic, and then political. Europe often focuses more on regulation than on freedom, but when smart regulation is needed, Brussels hesitates. We must ensure maximum technological advancement in Europe and make all critical decisions together – for all of Europe.

* Europe must be capable of guaranteeing peace and security. Europe deserves to be strong. For that, Europe needs the EU and NATO. Is this possible without Ukraine and without a fair resolution to Russia's war against Ukraine? I am convinced it is not.

Only genuine security guarantees for us will be true security guarantees for everyone in Europe. And we must ensure that America also regards us as essential. For this to happen, America's attention must shift to Europe. So that one day in Washington they say: “All eyes on Europe.” And not because of war. But because of the opportunities that exist in Europe.