Trump says 'war has to end' following meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Davos

DAVOS, SWITZERLAND: President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in Davos on Thursday, January 22, for talks focused on the war in Ukraine, as US representatives prepared for separate discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin later in the day. The White House said that the meeting lasted about an hour.

Zelenskyy’s media adviser described the talks as positive, while both leaders pointed to ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum.

Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy discuss path to peace

Following the meeting, President Trump said that he had a “good” discussion with Zelenskyy and reiterated his call for an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine. 

“This war has to end,” Trump told reporters when asked what message he would send to Putin. “The meeting was good with President Zelensky. We’ll see how it turns out.”

Earlier on Thursday, Trump referenced Ukraine during a 'Board of Peace' ceremony, saying, “We’re working to end the horrible killing in Ukraine.”

Zelenskyy described the meeting as “productive and substantive” in a post on X. 

“We discussed the work of our teams, and practically every day there are meetings or communication,” he wrote. He said the leaders also spoke about air defense capabilities for Ukraine. 

Zelenskyy also thanked Trump for “the previous package of air defense missiles," and asked for an additional one.

He acknowledged progress in US-led diplomacy but cautioned that significant challenges remained. Zelenskyy argued that the “last mile” of the peace process would be “difficult,” noting that separate talks between the US and Ukraine and between the US and Russia would eventually need to converge.

“Everybody has to be ready,” Zelenskyy said at an event in Davos, referring to the need for alignment in negotiations.

Speaking about Putin, he added, “Nobody knows what is in his head.” While welcoming dialogue, Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine remained under attack and continued to respond militarily.

Greenland framework and Arctic security discussions continue

Alongside discussions on Ukraine, President Trump also addressed negotiations related to Greenland and Arctic security while in Davos.

On Wednesday, Trump said that a framework had been reached to resolve his administration’s standoff with Europe, describing it as an “ultimate long-term deal” on Greenland. He said that he had taken US military intervention to seize control of Greenland off the table.

After meeting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said that they had agreed on a framework for future cooperation.

Rutte said that the framework would require NATO to step up its role in Arctic security, adding that Greenland’s mineral resources were not discussed.

A NATO spokesperson said Rutte’s meeting with Trump was “very productive,” and that the framework would focus on collective allied efforts to ensure security in the Arctic.

The spokesperson added that negotiations between the US, Denmark and Greenland would continue to prevent Russia or China from gaining a military or economic foothold on the island.