Donald Trump has said that Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky would have to be “stupid” not to agree to a peace deal, as he spoke at Davos.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Trump affirmed that he would be meeting with Zelensky later today, despite comments from Zelensky yesterday that he would miss Davos in order to oversee efforts to restore power and heating in Kyiv as Russia scales up its attacks on energy infrastructure.
“I believe that they can come together and get a deal,” said Trump. “If they don't, they are stupid - that goes for both of them."
Zelensky said that 60 per cent of Kyiv was still without power on Wednesday, and thousands of homes were still without heating. A major Russian strike overnight yesterday left more than a million households in the capital without power, he reported.
Meanwhile, US special envoy Steve Witkoff said he would meet with Putin on Thursday at the request of the Russian side.
Key Points
- Ukraine's defence minister says aim is to 'kill 50,000 Russians a month'
- Evacuation ordered in Russia after Ukrainian drone attacks injure 8
- Ukrainian star sends powerful T-shirt message at Australian Open
- Trump and Putin envoys say Davos meeting on Ukraine was 'very positive' and 'constructive'
- Ukraine’s defence minister pushes domestic drones to replace China's Mavic drones
Trump to meet Zelensky on Thursday
18:00 , Bryony GoochDonald Trump said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that he would meet Mr Zelensky on Thursday.
"I want to stop it," Mr Trump said of the fighting. "It's a horrible war."
US special envoy Steve Witkoff told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he plans to discuss peace proposals with Russian President Vladimir Putin as well as hold talks with a Ukrainian delegation.
"We need a peace," Mr Witkoff said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Recap: 60 per cent of Kyiv left without power amid one of the coldest winters in years
17:00 , Bryony GoochSome 4,000 buildings in Kyiv remained without heating on Wednesday, and nearly 60 per cent of the Ukrainian capital was without power, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said, after days of Russian bombardment of Ukraine's power grid.
With temperatures falling as low as minus 20C in Kyiv, Ukraine is seeing one of the coldest winters in years, deepening the hardship of Ukrainians almost four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
Watch: Putin's war has been an utter strategic failure, says Finnish president
16:30 , James ReynoldsRecap: Witkoff to discuss peace with Putin tomorrow
16:00 , James ReynoldsDonald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said he planned to discuss peace efforts with Russian President Vladimir Putin and would meet with Ukrainians later, without giving a specific date.
"We plan to discuss peace, and Ukraine and Russia," Witkoff told reporters at Davos, adding that Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner would join the discussions on Thursday. "I'm hopeful... we need a peace."
Witkoff told CNBC that the Russian side had requested the meeting, adding: “I think that's a significant statement on their part.”
The Kremlin confirmed that Putin would meet Witkoff in Moscow on Thursday.
Watch: Trump: Zelensky and Putin are 'stupid' if peace deal not agreed
15:45 , Bryony GoochRecap: Europe is ready to defend itself, says Finnish leader
15:30 , James ReynoldsEuropean leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday for a discussion on whether Europe was ready to defend itself.
Mark Rutte, the secretary general of Nato, was cautious to stress the importance of the trans-Atlantic relationship and hailed Trump’s efforts to encourage greater defence spending in Europe.
Alex Stubb, the Finnish president, said that Europe “unequivocally” could defend itself against a Russian attack. Asked whether the alliance was fractured and on its way out, he said: “No, not at all.
“I think actually we’re in the process of creating a stronger Nato since we have seen since the end of the Cold War. This is pretty much Nato 3.0.”
He pointed to Nato’s borders growing with new allies, including Finland, while Russia has stagnated economically, failed to make major gains in Ukraine and decreased its sphere of influence.
“And here we are asking ourselves, shaking, are we able to defend ourselves? My answer is: yes we are."
Germany arrests two on suspicion of supporting pro-Russian groups
15:01 , James ReynoldsGerman prosecutors say they have arrested a Russian and a German national on suspicion of supporting the foreign terrorist organisations "People's Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk."
They claim that the two suspects had organised deliveries of supplies, medical products and drones to pro-Russian militia groups in eastern Ukraine since 2016.
Ukraine anti-corruption body investigates former senior presidential aide
14:30 , James ReynoldsUkraine's anti-corruption bureau says it is investigating an unnamed former senior official from the president's office and a former board member of state oil and gas major Naftogaz for involvement in an alleged green energy embezzlement scheme.
In a statement on social media, the bureau said the alleged scheme involved claiming green energy payments for facilities in territories occupied by Russia in 2022.
It said a total of nine suspects had been identified in the case.
Breaking: Trump to meet with Zelensky on Wednesday
14:25 , Bryony GoochUS president Donald Trump has said he will meet with Volodymyr Zelensky today, despite the Ukrainian president pulling out of Davos.
Ukraine’s leader had initially said he would only travel to Switzerland if documents on security guarantees with the United States and a prosperity plan were ready to be signed there.
The decision to stay in Kyiv follows two nights worth of heavy bombardment in the capital which has left millions without power.
"Certainly, I chose Ukraine in this case, not the economic forum, but everything can change at any moment. Because it is very important for Ukrainians to end this war," Zelensky told reporters on Tuesday.
Watch: Zelensky says Russian attacks have left 1mn in Kyiv without power
14:00 , James ReynoldsUkraine offers valuable wartime combat data to allies
13:30 , James ReynoldsUkraine is poised to establish a system enabling its allies to train their artificial intelligence models using Kyiv's invaluable combat data, meticulously gathered throughout the nearly four-year conflict with Russia.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has amassed extensive battlefield intelligence, including systematically logged combat statistics and millions of hours of drone footage captured from above.
Such real-world information is critically important for the development and refinement of AI models.
Here’s why it matters:
In pictures: Ukrainian recruits train in bitter winter conditions
13:00 , James Reynolds
Recap: Europe is ready to defend itself, says Finnish leader
12:30 , James ReynoldsEuropean leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday for a discussion on whether Europe was ready to defend itself.
Mark Rutte, the secretary general of Nato, was cautious to stress the importance of the trans-Atlantic relationship and hailed Trump’s efforts to encourage greater defence spending in Europe.
Alex Stubb, the Finnish president, said that Europe “unequivocally” could defend itself against a Russian attack. Asked whether the alliance was fractured and on its way out, he said: “No, not at all.
“I think actually we’re in the process of creating a stronger Nato since we have seen since the end of the Cold War. This is pretty much Nato 3.0.”
He pointed to Nato’s borders growing with new allies, including Finland, while Russia has stagnated economically, failed to make major gains in Ukraine and decreased its sphere of influence.
“And here we are asking ourselves, shaking, are we able to defend ourselves? My answer is: yes we are."
A year on... is Donald Trump any closer to ending the war in Ukraine?
12:00 , James ReynoldsNatia Seskuria, an Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), tells The Independent that while Trump has escalated the diplomatic push to end the war, a lack of pressure on Putin means fundamental differences have gone unresolved.
“President Trump has moved rapidly to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, casting an end to the war as the signature achievement that would define his presidency and cement his reputation as a peacemaker. To that end, he has escalated the diplomatic track quickly, engaging in direct talks with President Putin and exerting heavy pressure on Kyiv to agree to his timelines and parameters for a deal,” she says.
“Yet despite this pace, the parties are not anywhere closer to a substantive peace agreement, largely because Moscow has refused to offer meaningful concessions or dilute maximalist territorial demands that remain fundamentally unacceptable to Ukraine.
She adds: “Negotiators have made progress on the architecture of security guarantees for Ukraine, but the core obstacles, above all Russia’s insistence on recognition of its claims over the Donbas region and beyond, remain unresolved and are explicitly described by Kyiv as the ‘most difficult point’ in the talks.
“So far, the Trump administration has concentrated its leverage on pushing Kyiv to show flexibility, while applying little to no sustained pressure on Moscow to soften its position, which leaves the overall dynamics of the peace process essentially unchanged despite the flurry of high‑level diplomacy.”
Trump-Merz summit cancelled due to president's late arrival, source says
11:49 , James ReynoldsWe have just heard via Reuters, citing a German source, that a planned bilateral meeting between Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Davos on Wednesday has been cancelled due to Trump’s late arrival.
Breaking: Donald Trump arrives in Zurich
11:47 , James ReynoldsUS president Donald Trump has arrived in Zurich ahead of his special address to world leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos today.
60 per cent of Kyiv still without power, says Zelensky
11:37 , James ReynoldsUkraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky says that nearly 60 per cent of Kyiv is still without power on Wednesday.
He said on social media that 4,000 buildings are still without heat and more than half without power.
He says Ukraine needs more resources to fix the problem, with repair crews already fully engaged.
Witkoff says he plans to meet Ukrainians after Putin
11:31 , James ReynoldsWe’re hearing now that US special envoy Steve Witkoff plans to meet with the Ukrainian side after speaking to Russian president Vladimir Putin on Thursday.
He said he plans to discuss the peace proposals with Putin.
ICYMI: Trump to speak at Davos later today
11:30 , James ReynoldsDonald Trump was due to speak at Davos at 1.30 GMT, but a delay affecting his flight has pushed his special address back a few hours.
His treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, said Trump would be “about three hours late”, but the official timings have not yet been updated. He is expected to arrive in Zurich soon.
The talk was originally meant to run for 45 minutes and the theme for this year’s World Economic Forum is ‘A Spirit of Dialogue’.
70 per cent of Kyiv without power as Red Cross teams offer emergency aid
11:00 , James ReynoldsOvernight attacks on Kyiv on 20 January have left more than 5,600 buildings without heat, and 70% of the city without electricity, affecting around one million people, the Red Cross reported today.
The Ukrainian Red Cross said on Wednesday it has mobilised 250 volunteers and staff members for the emergency response in Kyiv as a bitter winter bites in powerless cities.
They are providing essential equipment for heating points, including generators, heating devices and phone charging stations.
Volunteers are also offering hot meals and warm drinks at heating points, serving around 1,500 people daily.
Read more on how Ukraine’s battered power grid is facing strain from Russian attacks:
Ukraine’s battered power grid faces unprecedented challenge, energy minister says
Breaking: Witkoff to meet Putin on Thursday
10:25 , James ReynoldsTrump’s special envoy told CNBC in an interview that he will meet Putin tomorrow.
The Kremlin meanwhile declined to comment on talks between Putin’s envoy’s and Trump’s in Davos.
“If you want to prevent war, prepare for war,” says Rutte
10:22 , James ReynoldsThe panel in Davos is now taking questions. One member of the audience says he is planning to retire in Europe. He says it’s now clear that Europe can defend itself - but asks whether he feels safer with all this talk of conflict.
“If you want to prevent war, prepare for war,” Rutte says. “The only way we can prevent the Russians - or anyone who wants to do us harm - is to make sure that they know that the reaction we will have will be devastating.
“Today yes it is. But if we would have continued with this 1.8, 1.9% defence spending, and a defence industrial base which is not producing enough, we would not be ready ... and our adversaries know this.
“So I know that people are worried that we are spending more on defence. Yes we do this to prevent war from breaking out. You have to be strong. We have to be strong against those who wish us ill.”
Ukraine must be the priority, concludes Rutte
10:13 , James ReynoldsRutte says that Nato allies should not allow tensions over Greenland to distract them from the need to defend Ukraine.
"The focus on Ukraine should be the number one priority, it is crucial for European and U.S. security," he says.
"I am really worried that we lose sight and that in the meantime Ukrainians won't have enough interceptors to defend themselves."
Putin's war has been an utter failure - Europe is ready to defend itself, says Stubb
10:11 , James Reynolds"This war has been an utter strategic failure of President Putin,” concludes Stubb, to applause.
“He increased the size of Nato. He made Ukraine European. He increased the defence budgets of European states.
“And here we are asking ourselves, shaking, are we able to defend ourselves? My answer is: yes we are."
Ukrainians still face freezing temperatures and no power in Kyiv
10:05 , James ReynoldsAs European leaders ask whether they could defend themselves against a Russian attack, Ukrainians are still bracing through the war to the east.
Anton Rybikov, father of three-year-old David and two-year-old Matvii spoke to Reuters from his home in Kyiv, where residents are doing everything they can to survive the coldest, darkest winter of the war amid heavy Russian strikes on energy infrastructure.
"When there is no electricity, there is no heating: it means the apartment freezes," he said.
He and his wife Marina have stocked up on backup batteries and sleeping bags. The 39-year-old military chaplain said one of his sons recently contracted pneumonia after temperatures in the apartment fell to 9C during a power blackout of more than 19 hours following Russian airstrikes.
"It's emotionally very difficult. There is constant worry," Rybikov added, as he prepared to heat water in a metal milk churn. "This winter is the hardest."
Stubb careful not to downplay Washington's role
10:04 , James ReynoldsHost Sarah Kelly returns to Stubb: “You said earlier that Europe can defend itself without the Americans.”
“Er - not exactly. That’s not a quote!” he laughs.
“More or less?”
“Let’s stick to the letter on this one,” he says. “I love journalists!”
Asked whether Europe also needs to be ready to defend itself against the US, he warns against “pushing the hypotheticals” and brings the conversation back to the war in Ukraine.
“What has Russia achieved in the past four years? It’s acquired 20 per cent of the territory of Ukraine. Through military warfare, roughly 2 per cent.
“In the process of doing that it has provided about 1 million casualties and dead. It has decreased its sphere of influence ... We’re looking at 30 per cent inflation this year. 16% interest rates. 0 growth. No more reserves. Incapacity to pay the soldiers when the war ends.
“So I’m more worried about Russia’s unwillingness to end this war because they cannot afford to do so than about Russia’s capability to end this war because they’re moving ahead.”
Rutte defends Trump on pushing Nato defence spending
09:47 , James ReynoldsMark Rutte asks whether allies think they would have ramped up defence spending so quickly had Trump not returned to the White House.
“I’m unpopular with you now because I’m defending Donald Trump but I really believe we can be happy that he is there because he forced us in Europe to step up, to face the consequences that we have to take care more of our own defence.”
Stubb: Europe can defend itself without the US
09:44 , James ReynoldsStubb answers the topic of the panel discussion - can Europe defend itself - directly.
“Unequivocally yes,” he says.
“Without the Americans?” the host asks.
“Without the Americans.”
He imagines a scenario where the US cuts off support entirely. He references Finland’s conscription, ability to mobilise, pre-purchases of American jets, missiles.
“The bottom line is, if you ask me the question, ‘can the Finnish military defend itself against a Russian attack?’ The whole defence composure of the way that we do it - yes we can.”
Finland president: We're creating a new Nato where Europe takes more responsibility
09:34 , James ReynoldsAlex Stubb, whose country only joined Nato in 2023, is asked whether this is already the end of the military alliance.
“No, not at all,” he says. “I think actually we’re in the process of creating a stronger Nato since we have seen since the end of the Cold War. This is pretty much Nato 3.0.”
“Remember that after the end of the Cold War, a lot of Nato countries actually dropped their guard in terms of defence expenditure and capabilities, whereas a country like Finland didn’t do that. We still have conscription ... We have the biggest military force of Arctic capabilities in the alliance. ... So I think we’re strengthening, actually, the alliance as we speak.
“And remember that we’ve doubled the border of the alliance with Finland joining and then with Sweden joining. So I think we’re creating a new Nato where Europe takes more responsibility.”
Nawrocki: Europe made a lot of mistakes before and after 2022
09:28 , James ReynoldsKarol Nawrocki, the president of Poland, says Europe knows how many mistakes it made before and after 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. He also suggests the US is vital for Europe’s security.
“Donald Trump tried to convince our European partners that we had to solidify and his voice is very important because of the financial and the geopolitical point of view,” he says.
Rutte says Europe is strong because of the trans-Atlantic relationship
09:22 , James ReynoldsWe’re hearing from Mark Rutte, the secretary general of Nato, who was previously prime minister of the Netherlands from 2010 to 2024.
“Europe is safe because of what Europe is doing itself, but also because of that strong trans-Atlantic relationship.”
Asked whether he thought he would ever see one member threaten another, referring to the US and Denmark respectively, he indicates it would be improper to comment.
“You can be assured that I’m working on this issue behind the scenes but I cannot do it in public, so sorry, no comments from me on Greenland.”
We’re covering the burgeoning spat over Greenland on our Donald Trump liveblog here.
Next up: Nato chief asks 'Can Europe defend itself?'
09:11 , James ReynoldsLeaders will interrogate how well Europe can defend itself in a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday.
Nato secretary general Mark Rutte will be joined by Finnish president Alexander Stubb and Polish president Karol Nawrocki, as well as the president of the European investment bank Nadia Calviño and Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson from 9.15 GMT.
We’ll be bringing you coverage as it happens.
A year on... is Donald Trump any closer to ending the war in Ukraine?
09:06 , James ReynoldsNatia Seskuria, an Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), tells The Independent that while Trump has escalated the diplomatic push to end the war, a lack of pressure on Putin means fundamental differences have gone unresolved.
“President Trump has moved rapidly to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, casting an end to the war as the signature achievement that would define his presidency and cement his reputation as a peacemaker. To that end, he has escalated the diplomatic track quickly, engaging in direct talks with President Putin and exerting heavy pressure on Kyiv to agree to his timelines and parameters for a deal,” she says.
“Yet despite this pace, the parties are not anywhere closer to a substantive peace agreement, largely because Moscow has refused to offer meaningful concessions or dilute maximalist territorial demands that remain fundamentally unacceptable to Ukraine.
“Negotiators have made progress on the architecture of security guarantees for Ukraine, but the core obstacles, above all Russia’s insistence on recognition of its claims over the Donbas region and beyond, remain unresolved and are explicitly described by Kyiv as the “most difficult point” in the talks.
“So far, the Trump administration has concentrated its leverage on pushing Kyiv to show flexibility, while applying little to no sustained pressure on Moscow to soften its position, which leaves the overall dynamics of the peace process essentially unchanged despite the flurry of high‑level diplomacy.”
'We are fully prepared to act' in a fast-changing world, assures VDL
08:43 , James ReynoldsUrsula von der Leyen, speaking in European parliament today, assures that Europe is prepared to act to defend itself in a fast-changing world.
“We are at a crossroads,” she says. “Europe prefers dialogue and solutions - but we are fully prepared to act, if necessary, with unity, urgency and determination.”
She says that “in this increasingly lawless world, Europe needs its own levers of power”.
She says it is “more important than ever” to keep focusing on Ukraine, and insists the EU will work with the US and partners to strengthen the Arctic region.
Trump said this week that Europe “ought to focus on the war with Russia and Ukraine” instead of Greenland.
Trump's fight for Greenland hits Ukraine postwar deal – report
08:00 , Arpan RaiA major deal to fund Ukraine's post-war reconstruction will no longer be signed in Davos with Europe and Donald Trump now at loggerheads over Greenland, according to the FT.
Six officials aware of the disagreements between European capitals and Washington confirmed that a planned announcement of an $800bn "prosperity plan" for Ukraine will now be delayed.
The agreement was going to be between Ukraine, Europe and the US, the report added.
While one of the officials confirmed “no signing as of now,” another said “nobody is in any mood to stage a grand spectacle around an agreement with Trump right now".
Another official told the FT that European capitals could not simply ignore the US president’s actions on Greenland while trying to make progress on other Trump-related matters such as Ukraine.
One of the officials said Greenland and the Board of Peace controversy – with Trump inviting Putin to join despite his ongoing aggression against a European neighbour – had “eclipsed” a previously planned focus on Ukraine at the Swiss meeting.
Ukrainian star sends powerful T-shirt message at Australian Open
07:50 , Arpan RaiOleksandra Oliynykova, the Ukrainian tennis player, made a distinctive impression at the Australian Open, not only for her unconventional playing style and striking body art but also for a poignant message subtly conveyed after her first-round loss to defending champion Madison Keys.
Following her defeat on Rod Laver Arena, Oliynykova appeared at a post-match news conference wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with a powerful plea: "I need your help to protect Ukrainian women and children but I can’t talk about it here."
This statement navigated the Grand Slam guidelines, which typically discourage players from using competition venues for political declarations.
The player said she came close to being hit in an attack before coming to Australia to play. "There was an explosion just near my home and a drone hit the home just across the road," she told Melbourne Age newspaper. "My apartment was literally shaking because of the explosion."
She has also called for a ban on world number one Aryna Sabalenka and other Belarusian and Russian players from tennis, saying their presence was "very wrong" with the war going on.
Ukrainian star sends powerful T-shirt message at Australian Open
Russia says drone fragments caused fire at Afipsky oil refinery in Krasnodar
07:35 , Arpan RaiDrone fragments caused a fire at the Afipsky oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region without inflicting any injuries or damage, local emergencies centre said this morning.
The fire was extinguished, it said.
Ukrainian drones struck towns in southern Russia, injuring 11 people and prompting the evacuation of several residents, local officials said.
The refinery, which has been frequently attacked by Ukrainian drones in recent months as part of Kyiv's campaign to degrade Russia's vast energy infrastructure, is mostly focused on exports. It processed 7.2 million metric tons of crude oil (144,000 barrels per day) in 2024.
Ukraine's defence minister says aim is to 'kill 50,000 Russians a month'
07:20 , Arpan RaiUkraine's priority is to inflict as many losses on Russia as possible and the aim is to deplete their forces by at least “50,000 Russians per month”, new defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has said.
Fedorov was sharing his top two priorities in his new role and said his first objective was to improve oversight in the military.
"Management must be built around those capable of achieving defined goals. If people don’t demonstrate measurable results, they can’t remain in the system," he said.
“The second strategic objective is to kill 50,000 Russians per month," he said.
"Last month, 35,000 were killed; all these losses are verified on video. If we reach 50,000, we will see what happens to the enemy. They view people as a resource, and shortages are already evident,” he said.
Russian attacks leave Ukraine parliament among thousands of buildings in Kyiv without power
07:05 , Arpan RaiUkraine's parliament building is among thousands left without electricity, heating and water after Russia’s overnight strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid, officials said.
"After another Russian missile and drone attack, Ukrainian cities have been left without electricity, water, and heating. The Verkhovna Rada (parliament) of Ukraine is currently without these basic services as well," Ruslan Stefanchuk, the parliament’s speaker, said.
Yaroslav Zhelezniak, a lawmaker from the Holos party, said on the Telegram app that parliament's support office would work remotely today due to a lack of water and heating in the building. There were no parliamentary sessions scheduled on Tuesday.
Yesterday, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said the Russian attacks cut heating supplies to 5,635 multi-storey residential apartment buildings.
Strikes on energy infrastructure creates 'brutal conditions inside Ukraine' warns international law foundation
07:00 , Arpan RaiWayne Jordash KC, president of Global Rights Compliance, has warned of Russia’s calculated weaponisation of infrastructure during the Ukraine’s harshest winter since the start of the full-scale invasion.
He said: "Russia's widespread and systematic strikes on Ukrainian civilian energy infrastructure are creating brutal conditions inside Ukraine during the freezing winter, with temperatures more severe than usual.
“These callous attacks bear the clear hallmarks of inhumane acts constituting crimes against humanity, and they are certainly war crimes, intentionally condemning many of Ukraine's civilian population to cold, dark conditions for most of the day and night.
“Electricity, heating, and water are essential, not only for household tasks such as cooking, washing, and keeping households warm, but to ensure the safety of children, the elderly and the handicapped at home and in healthcare who are particularly at risk from the cold and the deprivation.
“Russia’s continued weaponisation of infrastructure is part of a calculated plan to fracture communities, paralyse Ukraine’s economy, and push the population to the brink. As anybody who knows Ukrainians, it will not work. But Ukraine’s European allies must ramp up their support with urgent energy aid packages to enable the country to weather these cruel attacks and avoid a catastrophic humanitarian crisis."
Who is going to Davos today?
06:50 , Arpan RaiOrganisers say a record of nearly 400 top political leaders, including more than 60 heads of state and government, and nearly 850 chairs and chief executives of many of the world's leading companies.
Headlining the lineup is US president Donald Trump, who's set to deliver a speech on Wednesday, and several Cabinet ministers and top advisers including secretary of state Marco Rubio, treasury secretary Scott Bessent and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
President Emmanuel Macron of France, European commission president Ursula von der Leyen, president Ahmad al-Sharaa of Syria, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney, president Felix Tshisekedi of Congo, and vice premier He Lifeng of China are among the who's-who of top attendees.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine will not be attending.
Trump's fight for Greenland hits Ukraine postwar deal – report
06:42 , Arpan RaiA major deal to fund Ukraine's post-war reconstruction will no longer be signed in Davos with Europe and Donald Trump now at loggerheads over Greenland, according to the FT.
Six officials aware of the disagreements between European capitals and Washington confirmed that a planned announcement of an $800bn "prosperity plan" for Ukraine will now be delayed.
The agreement was going to be between Ukraine, Europe and the US, the report added.
While one of the officials confirmed “no signing as of now,” another said “nobody is in any mood to stage a grand spectacle around an agreement with Trump right now".
Another official told the FT that European capitals could not simply ignore the US president’s actions on Greenland while trying to make progress on other Trump-related matters such as Ukraine.
One of the officials said Greenland and the Board of Peace controversy – with Trump inviting Putin to join despite his ongoing aggression against a European neighbour – had “eclipsed” a previously planned focus on Ukraine at the Swiss meeting.
Trump says he is unable to end Ukraine war due to Kyiv and Moscow
06:34 , Arpan RaiUS president Donald Trump said he has been unable to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, blaming both sides for failing to agree to a deal.
“I'm trying to resolve the issue of Russia and Ukraine. And when Russia is ready – Ukraine is not ready. When Ukraine is ready – Russia is not ready,” he said at the White House, before departing for the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Trump said he is trying to end what he described as the “last conflict,” but has not yet succeeded."But on average, they lose 25,000 people a month. And I'm trying to bring this matter to an end."
Trump official insists relations with Europe have 'never been closer'
06:09 , Arpan RaiWith president Donald Trump not due to address the elite global gathering until Wednesday, it fell to his treasury secretary to take up his defence in Switzerland.
“I think our relations have never been closer," Scott Bessent said, playing down the rift among Western countries over Greenland. "Calm down the hysteria. Take a deep breath."
He added: "We are in the middle of President Trump's policies. And of course, Europe is an ally, the US-Nato membership is unquestioned. We are partners in trying to stop this tragic war between Russia and Ukraine, but that does not mean that we cannot have disagreements on the future of Greenland."
UK and Denmark to discuss Ukraine and Arctic security at defence talks
05:50 , Arpan RaiBritain and Denmark will hold defence talks today focusing on security in the Arctic region, the British government said, at a time when US president Donald Trump's designs on Greenland threaten to upend historic alliances.
Defence secretary John Healey will be in Copenhagen today, his ministry said.
He will discuss how European nations can step up security in the "high north", a term used to refer to the European Arctic which includes the island of Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark.
The UK and Denmark want to protect critical national infrastructure in the Baltic and high north.
They will discuss a planned exercise later this year by the Joint Expeditionary Force, a UK-led northern European rapid response military partnership.
Support for Ukraine against Russia's invasion, as well as counter-drone cooperation, will also be on the agenda.
Russia says drone fragments caused fire at Afipsky oil refinery in Krasnodar
05:38 , Arpan RaiDrone fragments caused a fire at the Afipsky oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region without inflicting any injuries or damage, local emergencies centre said this morning.
The fire was extinguished, it said.
Ukrainian drones struck towns in southern Russia, injuring 11 people and prompting the evacuation of several residents, local officials said.
Trump's fight for Greenland hits Ukraine postwar deal – report
05:25 , Arpan RaiA major deal to fund Ukraine's post-war reconstruction will no longer be signed in Davos with Europe and Donald Trump now at loggerheads over Greenland, according to the FT.
Six officials aware of the disagreements between European capitals and Washington confirmed that a planned announcement of an $800bn "prosperity plan" for Ukraine will now be delayed.
The agreement was going to be between Ukraine, Europe and the US, the report added.
While one of the officials confirmed “no signing as of now,” another said “nobody is in any mood to stage a grand spectacle around an agreement with Trump right now".
Another official told the FT that European capitals could not simply ignore the US president’s actions on Greenland while trying to make progress on other Trump-related matters such as Ukraine.
One of the officials said Greenland and the Board of Peace controversy – with Trump inviting Putin to join despite his ongoing aggression against a European neighbour – had “eclipsed” a previously planned focus on Ukraine at the Swiss meeting.
Watch: Russian drone strikes leave over 1 million in Kyiv without electricity, says Zelensky
04:44 , Arpan RaiEvacuation ordered in Russia after Ukrainian drone attacks injure 8
04:19 , Arpan RaiUkrainian drones struck towns in southern Russia, injuring eight people and prompting the evacuation of several residents, local officials said in the early hours today.
The governor of the Adygean Republic in Russia's North Caucasus, Murat Kumpilov, said a drone struck an apartment building in a village in the Takhtamukaysky district, injuring eight people, including a child. Seven were being treated in hospital, he said.
Kumpilov said at least 15 vehicles were set on fire.
In the adjacent Krasnodar region on the Black Sea, governor Venyamin Kondratiev said a drone fell near an apartment building in a village south of the main regional centre of Krasnodar.
The building's residents had been evacuated and temporary shelters set up.
Kondratiev said an attack on the coastal town of Primorsko-Akhtarsk had damaged two private homes. Drone fragments had also hit the ground in Sochi, the region's major coastal town, but caused no damage.
Ukrainian star sends powerful T-shirt message at Australian Open
03:57 , Arpan RaiOleksandra Oliynykova, the Ukrainian tennis player, made a distinctive impression at the Australian Open, not only for her unconventional playing style and striking body art but also for a poignant message subtly conveyed after her first-round loss to defending champion Madison Keys.
Following her defeat on Rod Laver Arena, Oliynykova appeared at a post-match news conference wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with a powerful plea: "I need your help to protect Ukrainian women and children but I can’t talk about it here."
This statement navigated the Grand Slam guidelines, which typically discourage players from using competition venues for political declarations.
The player said she came close to being hit in an attack before coming to Australia to play. "There was an explosion just near my home and a drone hit the home just across the road," she told Melbourne Age newspaper. "My apartment was literally shaking because of the explosion."
She has also called for a ban on world number one Aryna Sabalenka and other Belarusian and Russian players from tennis, saying their presence was "very wrong" with the war going on.
Ukrainian star sends powerful T-shirt message at Australian Open
Trump and Putin envoys say Davos meeting on Ukraine was 'very positive' and 'constructive'
03:39 , Arpan RaiEnvoys for US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin said that their meeting in Davos yesterday on a possible future peace deal to end the Ukraine war had been "very positive" and "constructive".
“Dialogue is constructive and more and more people understand the fairness of Russia's position," Putin envoy Kirill Dmitriev said after talks with Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner at "USA House" at Davos.
Witkoff said: "We had a very positive meeting," Russia's RIA news agency reported. The meeting lasted for two hours, a source who spoke on condition of anonymity said.
Trump’s continued push to bring the war in Ukraine to an end has seen his envoys hold meetings with both Russian and Ukrainian delegations but no deal has yet been reached.
Ukraine's European allies, currently fighting off Trump's threats against Greenland, are concerned the United States could force Ukraine into accepting territorial concessions.
Ukraine’s defence minister pushes domestic drones to replace China's Mavic drones
03:27 , Arpan RaiUkraine’s military is working to replace Chinese-made drones with domestically produced models to help the war-hit nation move away from imports and sanctioned supply lines, the newly appointed defence minister said.
Mykhailo Fedorov said Ukraine would continue to rely on drones as a tool of asymmetric warfare – using novel weapons and methods against a larger opponent.
“It is important to find a replacement for Mavics and other Chinese drones,” Fedorov said, referring to a common consumer model produced by the Chinese company DJI.
“This direction must be developed.”
Fedorov said that Ukraine plans to create a local version with the same camera, but a longer flight range, and that testing could begin as soon as this month.
Imported drones and components remain crucial, however, and many come from China, which is subject to western sanctions and is seen as friendly to Russia.
Russian attacks leave Ukraine parliament among thousands of buildings in Kyiv without power
03:06 , Arpan RaiUkraine's parliament building is among thousands left without electricity, heating and water after Russia’s overnight strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid, officials said.
"After another Russian missile and drone attack, Ukrainian cities have been left without electricity, water, and heating. The Verkhovna Rada (parliament) of Ukraine is currently without these basic services as well," Ruslan Stefanchuk, the parliament’s speaker, said.
Yaroslav Zhelezniak, a lawmaker from the Holos party, said on the Telegram app that parliament's support office would work remotely today due to a lack of water and heating in the building. There were no parliamentary sessions scheduled on Tuesday.
Yesterday, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said the Russian attacks cut heating supplies to 5,635 multi-storey residential apartment buildings.
UK and Denmark to discuss Ukraine and Arctic security at defence talks
03:00 , Arpan RaiBritain and Denmark will hold defence talks today focusing on security in the Arctic region, the British government said, at a time when US president Donald Trump's designs on Greenland threaten to upend historic alliances.
Defence secretary John Healey will be in Copenhagen today, his ministry said.
He will discuss how European nations can step up security in the "high north", a term used to refer to the European Arctic which includes the island of Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark.
The UK and Denmark want to protect critical national infrastructure in the Baltic and high north.
They will discuss a planned exercise later this year by the Joint Expeditionary Force, a UK-led northern European rapid response military partnership.
Support for Ukraine against Russia's invasion, as well as counter-drone cooperation, will also be on the agenda.
Strikes on energy infrastructure creates 'brutal conditions inside Ukraine' warns international law foundation
02:02 , Tom BarnesWayne Jordash KC, president of Global Rights Compliance, has warned of Russia’s calculated weaponisation of infrastructure during the Ukraine’s harshest winter since the start of the full-scale invasion.
He said: "Russia's widespread and systematic strikes on Ukrainian civilian energy infrastructure are creating brutal conditions inside Ukraine during the freezing winter, with temperatures more severe than usual.
“These callous attacks bear the clear hallmarks of inhumane acts constituting crimes against humanity, and they are certainly war crimes, intentionally condemning many of Ukraine's civilian population to cold, dark conditions for most of the day and night.
“Electricity, heating, and water are essential, not only for household tasks such as cooking, washing, and keeping households warm, but to ensure the safety of children, the elderly and the handicapped at home and in healthcare who are particularly at risk from the cold and the deprivation.
“Russia’s continued weaponisation of infrastructure is part of a calculated plan to fracture communities, paralyse Ukraine’s economy, and push the population to the brink. As anybody who knows Ukrainians, it will not work. But Ukraine’s European allies must ramp up their support with urgent energy aid packages to enable the country to weather these cruel attacks and avoid a catastrophic humanitarian crisis."
Ukrainian drone attacks injure 8 in southern Russia, officials say
01:03 , Tom BarnesUkrainian drones struck towns in southern Russia, injuring eight people and prompting the evacuation of several residents, local officials said early on Wednesday.
The governor of the Adygean Republic in Russia's North Caucasus, Murat Kumpilov, said a drone struck an apartment building in a village in the Takhtamukaysky district, injuring eight people, including a child. Seven were being treated in hospital.
Kumpilov, writing on Telegram, said at least 15 vehicles were set on fire.
In the adjacent Krasnodar region on the Black Sea, Governor Venyamin Kondratiev said a drone fell near an apartment building in a village south of the main regional centre of Krasnodar.
The building's residents had been evacuated and temporary shelters set.
Kondratiev said an attack on the coastal town of Primorsko-Akhtarsk had damaged two private homes. Drone fragments had also hit the ground in Sochi, the region's major coastal town, but caused no damage.
Ukraine says Russia using nuclear risk as a tool of coercion
00:00 , Bryony GoochRussian attacks on Ukraine's energy system threaten nuclear safety and show Moscow is using the risk of nuclear disaster as a tool of coercion, Kyiv's foreign minister said on Tuesday after the UN's atomic watchdog said substations vital for nuclear safety were affected by strikes.
"While Russian officials speak about the 'importance' of power lines, their forces deliberately strike substations, directly endangering nuclear safety and defying repeated IAEA warnings," Andrii Sybiha wrote on X.
What's different about Davos this year?
Tuesday 20 January 2026 23:00 , Bryony GoochThe geopolitical context has become incredibly complex this year: Trump's pronouncements and policies on subjects as diverse as Venezuela, Greenland and Iran — not to mention his aggressive tariff policies — have upended the world order and raised questions about America's role in the world.
The advent of AI — its promise and perils — has also become a hot topic. Business executives will examine how to apply it to boost efficiency and profits; labor leaders and advocacy groups will warn of its threat to jobs and livelihoods, and policymakers will look to navigate the best way forward between regulation and right to innovate.
Davos conference organisers always trot out buzzwords for the meeting, and this year's is “A Spirit of Dialogue” — around five themes of cooperation, growth, investment in people, innovation and building prosperity.
Critics say Davos is too much talk and not enough action to rectify gaping inequality in the world and address troubles like climate change.
Additional reporting by AP.
Watch: Trump says Putin invited to ‘Board of Peace’, threatens 200% tariffs on French wine over Macron stance
Tuesday 20 January 2026 22:00 , Bryony GoochWho is going to Davos?
Tuesday 20 January 2026 21:00 , Bryony GoochOrganisers say a record of nearly 400 top political leaders, including more than 60 heads of state and government, and nearly 850 chairs and chief executives of many of the world's leading companies.
Headlining the lineup is US president Donald Trump, who's set to deliver a speech on Wednesday, and several Cabinet ministers and top advisers including secretary of state Marco Rubio, treasury secretary Scott Bessent and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
President Emmanuel Macron of France, European commission president Ursula von der Leyen, president Ahmad al-Sharaa of Syria, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney, president Felix Tshisekedi of Congo, and vice premier He Lifeng of China are among the who's-who of top attendees.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine will not be attending.
Additional reporting by AP.
