Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Could Counter Russian Ships Near Greenland as NATO Member

Ukraine is prepared to sink Russian ships near Greenland once it becomes a member of the North Atlantic Alliance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 22.

“If Russian warships are sailing freely around Greenland, Ukraine can help—we have the expertise and weapons to ensure not one of those ships remains. They can sink near Greenland just as they do near Crimea,” Zelenskyy stated.

He added that for Ukraine, the sea is not the first line of defense, so the country is capable of taking action and knows how to fight there. Zelenskyy also noted that if Ukraine were a NATO member, they “would solve this problem with the Russian ships,” although they are not currently part of the alliance.

The president also emphasized the need for Europe to know how to defend itself, referencing the reaction of European countries to US statements about controlling Greenland. He noted that several nations had responded by sending their military forces to the island for training.

“And if you send 30 or 40 soldiers to Greenland—what is that for? What message does it send? What’s the message to Putin? To China? And even more importantly, what message does it send to Denmark—the most important—your close ally? You either declare that European bases will protect the region from Russia and China—and establish those bases—or you risk not being taken seriously because 30 or 40 soldiers won’t protect anything,” Zelenskyy said.

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At the same time, during his speech in Davos, Ukrainian president strongly condemned Europe’s lack of action on security and global issues, cautioning that the continent continues to be trapped in a pattern of repeated failures.

He criticized the lack of progress in establishing a Special Tribunal for Russian aggression, despite numerous meetings and agreements.

“Europe hasn’t even managed to secure a location for the Tribunal... What’s the hold-up—time or political will?” he asked, stressing that Europe’s hesitation was hindering the quest for justice.

Earlier, Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine, the United States, and Russia are set to hold their first-ever trilateral technical-level talks in the coming days.

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