Davos leaders to press Trump on backing Paris-week agreements – media
The issue of U.S. President Donald Trump's consent to support European troops in the event of their introduction into Ukraine after the end of hostilities will be discussed at the meeting of European leaders of Kyiv's partner countries at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 21, the Financial Times reports, citing sources.
"The leaders of Italy, Germany, France, Canada and the UK, plus the president of the European Commission, plan to attend a proposed leaders' meeting with Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the World Economic Forum next week," the publication said on Tuesday.
Officials are discussing details of the meeting, which is scheduled for Wednesday, January 21, and which may include other leaders of the Coalition of the Willing, the countries supporting Ukraine. "The Davos leaders' meeting will seek Trump's stamp of approval on agreements drawn up with his Ukraine negotiators and the US's European defence commander in Paris last week, seen as critical to ensuring Russia does not restart the war after any ceasefire," the publication said.
But European capitals are nervous about the scale of Trump's stance, given a series of incidents in which the U.S. president has made a series of pro-Russian statements about the war in Ukraine. The Europeans and Kyiv have reportedly offered to send troops to Ukraine after the war ends, with guarantees of U.S. support. "Without the US, none of this happens," one European official said, referring in particular to pledges from Britain and France to deploy troops to a post-ceasefire Ukraine. "It is still unclear what Trump really feels," he added.
Steve Witkoff, Trump's son-in-law and Russia negotiator Jared Kushner, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be part of the U.S. delegation to the World Economic Forum.
The six leaders and EC President Ursula von der Leyen will be a record number of G7 participants at the Davos event. "Trump's presence has thrust geopolitics and the US's critical role in European security to prominence at a gathering that was previously set to have more of a focus on AI, emerging technologies and other business themes," the newspaper writes.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had not intended to go to Davos, but his partners have said that if Trump organizes a meeting on Ukraine, he will reconsider his decision.
The official talks have not yet included trilateral discussions with Russia. It is unclear to what extent they will be accepted by Moscow, or if they will be accepted at all.