Zelenskyy Becomes First Foreign Leader to Address Danish Parliament, Says Europe Must Defend Own Interests in Ukraine-US-Russia Talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made history as the first foreign leader to address Denmark's Folketing, the country's parliament. During his speech, Zelenskyy called on European nations to coordinate their positions and jointly defend their interests during talks between the United States and Russia. He expressed his honor at being the first foreign head of state to speak in the Danish parliament, joking that the only regret is the lack of a shared border between Ukraine and Denmark.

Zelenskyy emphasized that Europe must be present in decisions affecting the coming decades, particularly in U.S.-Russia negotiations, and stressed the need for Europe to coordinate closely to ensure both the Americans and Russians hear Europe's position. He affirmed Europe's strength, unity, and determination to defend its interests, stating that when Europe lacks confidence in its own strength, others attempt to impose decisions on them.

Zelenskyy highlighted Europe's recent progress in cooperation, which positions it as a global player committed to defending human rights and international law. He criticized Russia for seeking security guarantees without a history of aggression, suggesting their true intentions involve interference, force, and the perpetuation of Putin's power.

Zelenskyy noted that the rapid evolution of warfare due to drones and artificial intelligence has transformed conflicts, rendering traditional methods obsolete. The speech followed Ukraine, the United States, and Russia's trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio describing the session as productive. U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are set to meet Putin in Moscow and later address Zelenskyy in Dublin.