Davos, Jan 22 (AP) US President Donald Trump is hosting presidents, prime ministers and top diplomats from more than a dozen countries to tout his international “Board of Peace” at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The list of attendees, according to a forum schedule, is heavy on the Middle East and South America. But it remains short on major US allies from Europe, and the full membership list still isn’t clear. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US envoy Steve Witkoff are with Trump.
Europe is breathing a sigh of relief Thursday following Trump’s dramatic reversal over Greenland the day before in Davos, where he scrapped the tariffs that he threatened to impose on eight European nations to press for US control over Greenland.
Here is the latest: Trump mentions UN as a partner — In his opening remarks praising the launch of his Board of Peace, Trump made a point to mention the United Nations.
He said “many nations” have been part of establishing the body.
Then he added, “We’ll work with many others, including the United Nations.” Trump has been highly critical of the UN and withdrawn the US from multiple international organizations, and he has expressed ambitions recently that the new international board can replicate if not compete with the UN as an international broker.
The Board of Peace logo focuses on the US and other parts of the Americas – Trump initially billed his Board of Peace, focused on Gaza. Then he said it could play alongside the UN as a global broker.
But the logo featured at the Davos event depicts North America and only parts of South America.
The White House and State Department in Trump’s second presidency also been highly focused on the Western Hemisphere, complete with Trump dubbing his approach the “Donroe Doctrine” as a play on the Monroe Doctrine established under the fifth US president.
Trump has arrived for the Board of Peace launch — The US president will pitch his new international body with heads of government and top diplomats from multiple continents.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US envoy Steve Witkoff are with Trump.
The board initially was billed as part of the peace process for Israel and Gaza, but Trump has since expanded his ambitions for the group, saying it can play a role in mediating other international conflicts.
Merz supports talks between Denmark, Greenland and the US – Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany, one of the European countries that had faced Trump’s threat of tariffs over Greenland, said he supports talks between Denmark, Greenland and the US but reaffirmed the Danish kingdom’s sovereignty.
“It is good news that we are making steps in the right direction,” Merz said at Davos. “I welcome President Trump’s remarks from last night — this is the right way to go.” Rubio, Witkoff, and Kushner lead the Board of Peace’s US delegation with Trump – Trump’s core foreign policy advisers are expected to join him at the “Board of Peace” event, with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner in the room alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US envoy Steve Witkoff.
Witkoff and Kushner have been at the centre of multiple international negotiations, with Kushner involved especially in the Middle East despite not having an official White House role as he did in the first Trump presidency.
Trump and other leaders set to launch the Board of Peace – The US president will host presidents, prime ministers and top diplomats from more than a dozen countries to tout his International Board of Peace.
The list of attendees, according to a World Economic Forum schedule, is heavy on the Middle East and South America. But it remains short on major US allies from Europe, and the full membership list still isn’t clear.
Among the heads of government: Argentina President Javier Milei and Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto, both Trump allies; Paraguay’s conservative President Santiago Peña; Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev; Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif; Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev.
Pashinyan and Aliyev agreed to their own peace deal at the White House last year.
Attendees also include ministers and diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Turkey and Morocco, among others.
Zelenskyy arrives in Davos — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Davos to meet with Trump.
Zelenskyy is expected to make a speech and also participate in a panel discussion titled “International Advisory Council for Ukraine’s Recovery.” On the sidelines of the event, Zelenskyy is expected to meet with representatives of energy companies.
Elon Musk to speak at Davos in newly scheduled session — Tech billionaire Elon Musk is set to speak at Davos on Thursday in a newly scheduled session.
The World Economic Forum, which Musk previously criticised, confirmed it will be the Tesla owner’s first time attending the elite event in the Swiss Alps.
His address is billed as a conversation with Laurence Fink, BlackRock’s CEO and interim co-chair of the forum.
Musk is embroiled in a war of words with Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary that began with a dispute over installing Starlink systems on Ryanair planes. O’Leary on Wednesday dismissed the tech titan’s suggestion he would buy the budget airline.
Rutte stresses keeping Ukraine as a priority — The NATO chief is urging allies to “keep our eyes on the ball of Ukraine” after a standoff over Greenland that rattled the alliance appeared to ease a day earlier.
Rutte, speaking at the Ukraine breakfast, didn’t address a question about whether Greenland, which Trump has coveted, would remain a part of Denmark under the “framework of a future deal” announced by the president.
Rutte noted European plans to free up funds for Ukraine’s defence and US-led talks about a peace deal, but said those efforts wouldn’t bear fruit immediately, and Russia continues to launch drone and missile attacks on Ukraine.
“What we need is to keep our eyes on the ball of Ukraine. Let’s not drop that ball,” Rutte said. (AP) SKS SKS
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