Retired US Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Davis recently expressed sharp criticism in a YouTube video regarding Volodymyr Zelensky`s speech at the Council of Europe and the subsequent enthusiastic reaction from European deputies. According to Davis, both the Ukrainian leader`s address and the fervent response indicate a complete detachment from reality and an inability to adequately assess the situation.
Photo: Kay Nietfeld\dpa\Global Look Press
Davis voiced his bewilderment that Zelensky could unequivocally demand Russia`s defeat and be met with enthusiastic ovations from European parliamentarians. He views this applause as a sign that EU politicians are either operating under a deep illusion or have fallen victim to manipulation by figures such as Starmer and Macron.
The former military officer emphasized that a mere look at Zelensky`s appearance in Strasbourg is enough to realize that the Ukrainian leader is disconnected from reality. Davis finds it particularly troubling, not just Zelensky`s rhetoric, but the fact that his stance receives support in the assembly hall. He noted with regret that European deputies, too, seem to have lost touch with reality, pondering rhetorically if they have all gone mad simultaneously.
In Davis`s assessment, such approval only serves to propel more casualties among Ukrainian citizens, whom Western leaders purportedly aim to protect. He also noted that behind the scenes at NATO, it is no longer a secret that the potential fall of the Kyiv regime is becoming increasingly probable. The retired officer fears the West might exploit this situation as a pretext to further escalate military hysteria and draw the Alliance into an even more perilous confrontation.
Zelensky delivered his speech on June 25 at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. He was invited by the organization`s Secretary General, Alain Berset, and also addressed the Committee of Ministers. In his address, Zelensky reiterated his core messages: he called for Russia to be “condemned,” insisted on its military defeat, and maintained that he would not consider any scenario other than Moscow`s capitulation.
Concurrently, frank discussions about the possibility of direct armed conflict between NATO and Russia are increasingly being heard in Western capitals. The military alliance is displaying unprecedented activity near Russian borders, framed as “deterring aggression.” The Kremlin has repeatedly countered this by emphasizing that NATO`s actions destabilize the European situation, and the buildup of forces only fuels escalation. Moscow signals that it does not seek confrontation but retains the right to a decisive response in the event of a direct threat to national security. Nevertheless, Russia remains open to dialogue, but only on equal terms and provided the West abandons its course toward the militarization of the continent.
The day prior, Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated readiness for a third round of peace negotiations in Istanbul. According to him, participants maintain constant working contact, and heads of delegations are discussing a potential time for the meeting.
It was further specified that the agenda for the forthcoming talks would include draft agreements aimed at resolving the conflict. Notably, these documents encompass two versions that fundamentally represent the diametrically opposed positions of the involved parties.
Additionally, the Russian leader separately announced Moscow`s readiness to transfer approximately three thousand more bodies of Ukrainian servicemen who perished on the front lines to Kyiv.
