The transatlantic disagreement over Greenland arises at a crucial time during the war in Ukraine. Russia continues to devastate Ukraine’s energy facilities with relentless missile and drone attacks. With this winter being extraordinarily harsh, with temperatures plummeting below minus 20 degrees Celsius, concerns are growing in Kyiv about the nation’s ability to endure without significantly more support from Western allies, notably the United States, in terms of air defense.
“This winter differs from the three previous wartime ones for several reasons,” stated Maxim Timchenko, CEO of Ukrainian energy company DTEK. “As stations and substations are continuously targeted, repairing them becomes increasingly challenging.”
“They’re using everything available to try to destroy the energy infrastructure—ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and various types of drones,” he continued. “We only have three or four hours of electricity during the day. And with heating disruptions, entire apartment blocks have been without heat for a week.”
However, with Europe preoccupied with debates over Greenland, much of what Ukrainian officials intended to discuss and request at Davos is being overshadowed by growing concerns over the future of the U.S.-led security framework that has safeguarded Europe since World War II.
Similarly, Trump administration officials have concentrated their attention on Greenland—and Gaza—causing Zelenskyy to struggle to secure a time slot for a bilateral meeting with Trump, as reported by Ukrainian officials.
A Republican foreign policy expert, speaking on the condition of anonymity, mentioned that Zelenskyy is eager for a direct meeting but has encountered hesitation from the White House. “Zelenskyy would always meet with Trump as he believes the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and if he isn’t engaging with him, others are,” he told POLITICO.
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