Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in Switzerland on Thursday for crucial discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, as optimism cautiously grew around efforts to bring an end to the war in Ukraine.
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said significant progress had been made in recent peace negotiations, adding that talks were now focused on resolving one final outstanding issue. His remarks came just as Zelenskiy touched down in Davos, marking a shift from his earlier stance that he would skip the forum altogether.
Earlier this week, Zelenskiy had said he would remain in Kyiv to manage Ukraine’s worsening energy crisis. Russian airstrikes targeting power infrastructure have left large parts of the capital and several regions facing electricity outages, placing immense strain on civilians during winter.
At the time, the Ukrainian leader made clear he would only travel to Davos if there was a real opportunity to reach an agreement with Trump, one that addressed long-term security guarantees for Ukraine and secured funding for post-war reconstruction after nearly four years of conflict.
That opportunity appeared to materialize on Wednesday, when Trump confirmed he would meet Zelenskiy in Davos. According to a statement from Zelenskiy’s spokesperson, the two leaders were scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. local time, followed by Zelenskiy’s address at the forum later in the afternoon.
Behind the scenes, Witkoff has been holding intensive discussions with Ukrainian officials in Davos, building on talks held over the weekend in Florida. The diplomatic push is also extending to Moscow. Witkoff and fellow U.S. envoy Jared Kushner were expected to travel there later on Thursday for discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin on a potential framework to end the conflict, the deadliest war Europe has seen since World War Two.
The Kremlin confirmed that Putin’s meeting with the U.S. envoys would take place later in the evening, underscoring the fast-moving and sensitive nature of the negotiations.
