As the world’s leaders convene at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, all eyes are on the highly anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The two leaders are set to discuss a potential resolution to the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
In a surprising development, Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, has expressed optimism about finalizing a deal to end the war in Ukraine. Witkoff stated that the two sides have “got it down to one issue” and have “discussed iterations of that issue, and that means it’s solvable.”
While Witkoff did not specify the exact nature of the issue, recent talks have focused on the future status of Ukraine’s industrial heartland in the Donbas region. There have been proposals for a demilitarized and free economic zone in exchange for security guarantees for Kyiv.
President Trump echoed this sentiment, stating that he believes both Putin and Zelenskyy are at a point where they can come together and get a deal done. “If they don’t, they’re stupid,” the US president said, underscoring the urgency of reaching a resolution.
The Ukrainian president, who had initially cancelled his trip to Davos to deal with the aftermath of Russian strikes on Kyiv’s power infrastructure, has now arrived in Switzerland to participate in the high-level discussions.
Zelenskyy has previously stated that a 20-point US plan to end the war is 90% ready and that Ukraine’s position on the Donbas region differs from Russia’s. Specifically, Zelenskyy has offered to withdraw troops from 25% of the Donetsk region by up to 40km, in exchange for Russia doing the same, and the creation of an economic zone.
Another sticking point has been the future control of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which was seized by Russia in March 2022. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has indicated that discussions with the American envoy will continue on the “Ukrainian issue and other related topics,” but he did not share Witkoff’s optimism about achieving a deal.
As the leaders gather in Davos, the world watches with bated breath, hoping that these high-level talks will pave the way for a long-awaited resolution to the conflict that has gripped Ukraine for nearly four years.
