The World Economic Forum (WEF) begins in Davos, Switzerland, marked by rising tensions between the US and Europe over the White House's plans to annex Greenland. US President Donald Trump will be the central figure of the event. He will meet with the leaders of eight European NATO countries, whom he threatened on Saturday with a tariff of up to 25% for participating in military exercises in Greenland until an agreement is reached to purchase the Arctic island. The forum will also see the participation of French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. WEF President Børge Brende stated that the forum is taking place «in the most complex geopolitical context since 1945». The theme for this year is «Spirit of Dialogue». The event will also feature UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and the leaders of Argentina, Panama, and Ecuador. Swiss authorities have deployed an unprecedented security force, mobilizing police, army, intelligence services, and federal security forces. A record attendance of more than 60 heads of state and government is expected. The agenda also covers the Middle East, Ukraine, and Europe. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who will also attend the forum, announced that an agreement with the US could be signed during the event. In the economic part of the forum, the President of the European Central Bank Christine Lagarde, the Managing Director of the IMF Kristalina Georgieva, the CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella, the Chairman of BlackRock Larry Fink, and the CEO of Nvidia Jensen Huang will participate. Topics include the development of artificial intelligence, the economic growth of the US, China, and India, challenges for the banking sector, and threats to the energy sector. The week will conclude on Friday with the presentation of economic forecasts and major geopolitical risks for 2026. Notably, Colombian President Gustavo Petro will not travel to Davos to focus on a meeting with Trump at the White House.
