Ukraine war: Zelensky centre stage in Davos as he rallies support for fight against Russia and ‘predator’ Putin
- Zelensky, once reticent about leaving his war-torn country, has recently gone on a whirlwind tour to try to rally support for Ukraine’s cause against Russia
- It is Zelensky’s first trip to Davos as president after speaking by video in previous years
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky huddled with corporate executives and world leaders in a frenzied first full day of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, where top officials from the United States, the European Union, China, the Middle East and beyond spoke on Tuesday about tackling conflict and embracing technology like artificial intelligence.
Zelensky is endeavouring to keep his country’s long and largely stalemated defence against Russia on the minds of political leaders, just as Israel’s war with Hamas, which passed the 100-day mark this week, has siphoned off much of the world’s attention and sparked concerns about a wider conflict in the Middle East.
“It is important that you stand with us, I thank you for your support. It is very important to be here, to boost investment in Ukraine and support our economy,” Zelensky said at an invitation-only “CEOs for Ukraine” session, according to his office.
It is Zelensky’s first trip to Davos as president after speaking by video in previous years, and – while surrounded by a large security contingent – he’s drawing the attention of media and others trying to grab a word from him.
Conversations with the prime ministers of Qatar and Jordan will bookend the day’s most visible events, with speeches by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US national security adviser Jake Sullivan in between.
