During the World Economic Forum, the Ukrainian president asked for support from European countries
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, highlighted the importance of European military support during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday (22 January 2025). He estimated the need to “at least 200 thousand” Allied soldiers to achieve an effective peace agreement in the region.
Zelensky asked Europe to adopt a more autonomous stance in defending the continent, especially given the return of Donald Trump (Republican) to the presidency of the United States. He argued that a significant contingent of allied forces is essential to guarantee peace.
The Ukrainian leader emphasized the importance of collective European action for the continent’s security and rejected the proposal to reduce the Ukrainian army to 1/5 of its current size, a demand from Russia. During the forum, he met with world leaders, including the president of Argentina, and the prime minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez.
“I thank the meeting participants for their willingness to support Ukraine, mainly through investments, and to continue contributing to the recovery of our economy after the war”said the president.
At the same time, Trump announced that he will impose additional trade sanctions on Russia if President Vladimir Putin does not reach an agreement to end the conflict in Ukraine. Trump expressed his determination to end the war “as quickly as possible”.
