Ukrainian President Zelensky coming to the WEF, according to organizers
Published: Tuesday, Jan 9th 2024, 16:10
Updated At: Tuesday, Jan 9th 2024, 16:10
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selensky is traveling to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos GR next week. The war in Ukraine is just one of many crisis topics at the elite meeting. The politicians and businesspeople attending are expected to help prevent further escalation and build trust.
The World Economic Forum is taking place for the 54th time. From 15 to 19 January, 2,800 participants, including 60 heads of state and government, business leaders and representatives of social organizations and the media, will meet in the Graubünden resort of Davos. They will discuss global challenges. The delegations from Ukraine, the Middle East and China are high-caliber.
This year's meeting is taking place against the most complicated geopolitical backdrop in decades, said WEF President Børge Brende at a virtual media conference on Tuesday on the main topics of this year's annual meeting. States must find ways to work together and avoid a further escalation of conflicts worldwide. The WEF wants to offer a platform for this.
The guiding principle for this year is "Rebuilding Trust". The participants will be discussing cooperation in a fragmented world, as well as job creation, the use of artificial intelligence (AI), the climate, the environment and energy supply.
In the shadow of two wars
This year's meeting is taking place in the shadow of two armed conflicts: the recent war in the Middle East between Israel and the radical Islamic group Hamas and Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, which has been going on for almost two years.
According to the WEF organizers, Ukrainian President Zelenskyi intends to travel to Davos. A WEF spokeswoman told the Keystone-SDA news agency that Zelensky will be attending the WEF in person. Among other things, the Ukrainian president intends to give a speech and take part in a meeting with CEOs.
Russia has been waging a large-scale war of aggression against Ukraine since February 2022. Its President Zelensky is trying to secure the support of the international community even after almost two years of war.
Immediately before the start of the WEF, the 4th so-called peace formula meeting on Ukraine will take place in Davos on Sunday. The security advisors of numerous countries will discuss the future of Ukraine and the so-called Ukrainian peace formula with a ten-point plan for an end to the Russian war of aggression. However, these are not actual peace talks. Russia is not involved.
The main purpose of the conferences is to keep Ukraine's allies in line. Around 120 countries were invited to the conference in Davos.
The planned trip to Davos is Zelensky's first visit to Switzerland since Russia's attack on Ukraine. Last year, Selensky's wife Olena Selenska was a personal guest at the WEF. As in the previous year, the President himself addressed the participants in a video link. Selensky was last in Switzerland in person in 2020, also at the WEF.
China's prime minister, Israel's president and Macron
According to the organizers, other prominent participants include China's Prime Minister Li Qiang, Israel's President Isaac Herzog, France's President Emmanuel Macron, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Against the backdrop of the war in the Middle East, the participation of ministers from several countries in the region, including Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Qatar, is also significant. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan are expected to attend from the USA.
But there will also be illustrious guests from South America. The ultra-liberal Argentinian President Javier Milei is planning a visit to Davos.
Several Federal Councillors will also be attending, led by President Viola Amherd. Meetings with EU representatives are also likely to be a focus this year. This year, the Federal Council intends to negotiate a package of agreements with the EU on future relations.
Almost half of the guests at the WEF are business representatives. Around 800 CEOs are planning to travel to Davos. The WEF is seeing record attendance from Latin America and Asia. This reflects the global economic upheavals, according to the organizers.
Around 150 technology pioneers from the fields of AI, quantum mechanics, biology, space travel and climate will be there. Sam Altman, founder of the chatbot ChatGPT, will also be coming to the Grisons mountains.
©Keystone/SDA
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