Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump in the Vatican basilica, April 26, 2025
Wednesday’s Coverage: Zelensky — I’ll Go to Davos…But Only If Air Defenses Are Discussed
At a crucial time for proposals to end Russia’s four-year full-scale invasion, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet Donald Trump in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin will host Trump’s envoys, real estate developer Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, at the Kremlin.
Zelensky had said on Tuesday night that he would only go to Davos’ World Economic Forum for meaningful discussion on air defenses, weapons, and equipment for recovery and reserves.
Amid the energy crisis from Russia’s missile and drone attacks on infrastructure, the President said:
Undoubtedly, I choose Ukraine in this case, rather than the Economic Forum, but everything can change at any moment.
Meetings with America should always end with concrete results to strengthen Ukraine or to move closer to ending the war. And if the documents are ready, we will meet.
But on Wednesday, Trump suddenly announced in Davos that he was meeting Zelensky later in the day. Officials later clarified that the encounter will be on Thursday.
Neither Trump nor the officials referred to the status of the Ukraine-Europe proposals to end the invasion and defend Kyiv.
More than two months of discussions, including with US officials, pushed back a 28-point ultimatum to Ukraine developed by Putin’s senior advisor Kirill Dmitriev with Witkoff and Kushner in late October.
The Ukraine-Europe documents have established a security guarantee for Kyiv, with US participation, and a demilitarized free economic zone to rebuff Russia’s demand for all of the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. The process for Ukrainian recovery and reconstruction is also set out.
Witkoff and Kushner have been involved in the talks with the Ukrainians and Europeans from Paris to Berlin to Miami. However, the real estate developer has promoted the Kremlin’s demands since early 2025.
They met Dmitriev in Davos on Tuesday. There was no mention of the Ukraine-Europe proposals as Witkoff said, “I think everybody is embedded in the process and wants to see a peace deal happen.”
Dmitriev insisted that “more and more people are understanding the correctness” of Russia’s position.
Ukraine’s Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, Rustem Umerov said he met Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Davos on Wednesday. Umerov said the talks focused on security guarantees and post-war recovery, with a Ukrainian delegation meeting representatives of the US investment firm Blackrock.
Putin said he will discuss the use of around €300 billion ($350 billion) of frozen Russian assets with the US envoys.
Europe holds around 70% of the assets. In December, the European Union came close to agreeing a “reparations loan” based on the assets. It held off because of objections by Belgium, which holds most of the assets, and instead financed a €90 billion loan to Kyiv into 2027.
Putin said he wants to use the assets to restore territories “damaged during military actions”, without specifying if these are Ukrainian or Russian-occupied areas.
He also declared, in response to Trump’s invitation to join a “Board of Peace” for Gaza, “Given the special relationship with the Palestinian people, Russia could direct $1 billion from Russian assets frozen under the previous US administration” to the scheme.
