Zelensky Slams Europe, Insults Orbán in Desperate Davos Address

The annual Davos World Economic Forum saw quite a few remarkable speeches this year, with that of Donald Trump definitely stealing the show. But there were some others, too, that stand out, attempting to emulate the U.S. president’s candor and energy, albeit with varying success.

One such speech (or rather, lecture) was the one delivered in English by Volodymyr Zelensky, in a dark and rather accusative tone, focusing on chastising Europe and the entire world for not doing enough for his country. He compared the decisive way the U.S. employed against the Venezuelan president, who is “on trial in New York,” to the way another “dictator” is treated: “Putin is not on trial.” In an open insult to European leaders, he lamented that it is Putin who decides what the fate of the Russian frozen assets will be and “not those who have the power to punish him for this war.” He even asserted that it was Putin who “managed” to make EU leaders not make the decision to use the frozen assets to help Ukraine “defend [itself] from Russian aggression” when the decision was “blocked.” An interesting observation, which completely disregards the fact that major European powers closed ranks to prevent the war hawks in Brussels from making a move that would have put some member states, primarily Belgium, in an impossible position. 

While he acknowledged the (frankly, little) impact that the sanctions imposed by the EU on Russia have had so far, the Ukrainian president said “Europe must do more” to stop the flow of Russian oil and gas, the revenues from which fuel Moscow’s war machine. 

Careful not to step on Trump’s toes, Zelensky said the American position against an international tribunal that would hold Putin accountable is “understandable,” but he bashed Europe for not pushing for the same. In what sounded like a lecture, he told Europe “it must be able to defend itself” by building a common EU army. Citing the example of Greenland, he ridiculed the indeed feeble offerings of troops for the Arctic island by some European states. As the shocked audience sat in frozen silence, he boasted that if Ukraine were in NATO, it could help defend Greenland from Russia, because they have the “weapons” and the “expertise” to sink Russian ships. 

Stressing that Europe should not remain permanently “in Greenland mode,” he warned that if Europe is not seen as a strong global actor and its actions “don’t scare bad actors,” it will always be only reacting, not confronting the “forces that are trying to destroy Europe.” According to Zelensky, these forces are also “operating inside Europe.” Not leaving room for much guessing as to who he was talking about, he then proceeded to state, in an overt and unprecedentedly hostile attack on the Hungarian prime minister, “Every Viktor who lives off European money while selling out European interests deserves a smack upside the hat. And if he feels comfortable in Moscow, it doesn’t mean we must let European capitals become little Moscows.” 

The Hungarian prime minister responded to this ad hominem attack swiftly. Viktor Orbán said on social media he is a free man who serves his nation, whereas Zelensky is a “desperate man” who has been unable to stop a war in its fourth year now, despite “every possible assistance” the U.S. president has offered him. The Hungarian PM reminded the Ukrainian president that Hungary, “despite your carefully chosen insults,” continues to assist Ukraine with energy and to welcome Ukrainian refugees. “Life itself will settle the rest, and everyone will get what they deserve,” Orbán concluded.

Dear President @ZelenskyyUa,

It seems to me that we will not be able to come to an understanding. I am a free man who serves the Hungarian people. You are a man in a desperate position who, for the fourth year now, has been unable or unwilling to bring a war to an end—despite…

— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) January 22, 2026