In a fiery speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has taken aim at European leaders, accusing them of being in “Greenland mode” and waiting for cues from former US President Donald Trump on the Ukraine crisis and other international issues.
Zelensky’s impassioned address came as Steve Witkoff, a US envoy, arrived in Moscow for ongoing peace talks. The Ukrainian president used the platform to demand greater pressure on Russia, as the war in his country continues to rage.
“Zelensky turns on Europe,” reported the Independent, highlighting the Ukrainian leader’s criticism of the continent’s tendency to “love to discuss the future but avoids taking action” against Russia.
Elsewhere at the Davos forum, the Financial Times reported on the unveiling of Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace,” a new international organisation that the US claims will have wide decision-making powers for conflict resolution, with Trump serving as its chairman.
In UK news, the Times reported that former Labour minister Andrew Gwynne is standing down as an MP, paving the way for Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to potentially run in a by-election and return to the Commons. The paper suggests that allies of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will attempt to block Burnham’s return, fearing he could mount a leadership challenge.
The i Paper has dubbed this move “Operation Stop Burnham,” quoting a PM ally who says the Labour party doesn’t need “an Andy Burnham circus.” The Daily Mail questions whether Burnham has the “bottle” for the challenge, while also describing the Labour party as “descending into civil war” over the news.
In other election news, the Daily Telegraph reports that some “4.5 million people are to be denied a vote” after more councils in England were given permission to delay local elections in May.
The Metro, meanwhile, features images of multiple skyscrapers from Donald Trump’s “glitzy Middle East tourist vision” for a rebuilt Gaza. The US president’s plan aims to turn the war-ravaged coastal enclave into a tourist destination by 2029, prompting the paper to ask, “Gaza or gaga?”
Finally, the Daily Star continues its coverage of the Beckham family feud, showing Brooklyn Peltz Beckham and his wife Nicola taking a public outing and presenting a “united front.” The Sun and Daily Mirror also report on the couple’s efforts to address the strained relationship.
