President Donald Trump is poised to deliver a keynote speech to world leaders and corporate titans at the World Economic Forum in Davos this Wednesday, with a burgeoning international crisis over Greenland casting a long shadow over the annual gathering.
A Forum Divided: Tariffs and Tensions
The diplomatic spat over the mineral-rich Arctic territory, owned by NATO ally Denmark, tipped into a full-blown crisis over the weekend. Trump announced punitive tariffs on eight European allies for resisting his claim to Greenland. In response, Danish officials confirmed they would boycott the Swiss summit entirely.
This aggressive stance places Trump starkly at odds with the forum's traditional ethos of global cooperation. "This is the death of Davos," remarked Mark Blyth, a political economist at Brown University, to the New York Times. "It has no relevance, none whatsoever." Blyth suggested Trump's attendance was about "punching them in the head and telling them who's in charge."
The EU is now preparing retaliatory tariffs on $107.7 billion of US goods, the Financial Times reported, potentially denying America access to the single market. The dispute has already rattled financial markets, with European shares falling sharply on Monday.
High-Stakes Diplomacy on the Sidelines
Beyond the main stage, a flurry of critical diplomatic meetings is scheduled. National security advisers from several nations will convene on Monday, with Greenland now added to their agenda following Trump's tariff announcement. The President stated he is imposing a 10% levy starting 1st February, rising to 25% in June, unless a deal for Greenland is reached.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will attend in person, hoping to secure a meeting with Trump and sign new security guarantees linked to a potential ceasefire with Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, will also be in Davos to meet with the large US delegation.
That delegation, the largest ever sent by Washington, includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Trump's peace envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are also set to attend, with an announcement looming about a proposed 'Board of Peace' for Gaza involving nations from Hungary to India.
A New Era for Davos
This year's forum marks a symbolic changing of the guard. It is the first without its founder, Klaus Schwab, with new co-chairs Larry Fink of BlackRock and Andre Hoffman of Roche in charge. The event will also see the debut of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, a pivotal figure in the tech world, among 850 corporate leaders.
Key themes will include the future of AI and its impact on business, reflecting the shifting focus of global power. After his speech on Wednesday, Trump is expected to meet global business leaders from finance, crypto, and consulting at a White House-invited reception, though the precise agenda remains unclear.
With over 3,000 delegates from 130 countries, including 64 heads of state, the 2025 forum finds itself grappling with an America-first presidency that challenges its very foundations, turning the Swiss resort into a crucible for the world's most pressing geopolitical and economic fissures.
