The United States is not the only country with a former TV star president who knows how to put on a show. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a sometime Trump antagonist, is making a bold demand for NATO countries to increase their defense spending to 5% of GDP, not just 2%.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Zelensky criticized European countries for not taking their own defense and the threat from Moscow seriously enough. He argued that if it takes 5% of GDP to cover defense, then it is necessary.
The demand echoes a similar one made by Donald Trump, but it is not a move that is expected to go down well in Brussels. Zelensky’s true intent was revealed when he said that “right now, it’s not clear whether Europe will even have a seat at the table when the war against our country ends.”
Zelensky believes Europe needs to be strong and united in order to have a seat at the table in any potential peace deal with Russia. He is also concerned that Trump, who has a history of making sudden deals with world leaders, may be tempted to give Putin what he wants in exchange for ending the war and earning a Nobel Peace Prize.