World leaders gather in Davos with Trump’s Greenland threats set to dominate forum
Political leaders, CEOs and opinion leaders arrived in Davos, Switzerland, ahead of the World Economic Forum (WEF); Increasing trade tensions between the USA and Europe, following Donald Trump’s renewed tariff threats, are set to dominate the discussions.
Mr. Trump, who is expected to deliver a keynote speech later this week, is attending the forum with what organizers say is the largest U.S. delegation to date. They include treasury secretary Scott Bessent, secretary of state Marco Rubio and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
Organizers say 3,000 participants are expected this year from more than 130 countries, including 850 senior executives and at least 60 heads of state or government; a record for this event.
The annual meeting comes as Europe struggles to respond to Mr. Trump’s threat that the United States would impose increased tariffs on Denmark, Germany, France, Britain, Sweden, Finland, Norway and the Netherlands unless Washington is allowed to seize Greenland.
Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen said Europe “will not be blackmailed”, while Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni called the tariff threat “a mistake”.
The US president’s latest threats shook the markets. The euro and pound fell against the dollar in early trading as analysts warned that a new trade dispute could hurt growth in export-dependent economies such as Britain and Germany.
Ministers in Britain said they wanted to prevent tensions from escalating while preserving trade deals signed with Washington last year.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will attend the forum on Tuesday.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is also heading to Davos, despite years of criticizing the forum as a symbol of globalization. In 2023 he described Keir Starmer as “a total globalist hanging out with his mates at the WEF”. His aide, Richard Tice, claimed Mr Farage was hoping to speak to Mr Trump about concerns over potential US tariffs on the UK.
In its latest Global Risks Report published before the meeting, the WEF predicts that “geo-economic conflict” will be the most significant global risk over the next two years, following interstate war.
In addition to trade tensions, the forum is expected to discuss the war in Ukraine, instability in the Middle East and global economic growth.
Ukrainian officials confirmed that talks with their US counterparts would continue between meetings.
Ahead of the Davos meeting, Oxfam warned on Monday that billionaires’ wealth will reach a new record in 2025 and grow three times faster than in recent years, even though half the world’s population continues to live in poverty.
Energy security is another focus; More than 80 percent of global energy demand is still met by fossil fuels, and many countries are subject to geopolitical shocks and supply disruptions.
Artificial intelligence, global market volatility and growth outlook are also on the agenda.
Founded in 1971, the WEF is one of the world’s most influential annual meetings, combining private meetings with public panels in the Swiss resort.
While organizers say the forum remains a platform for dialogue, critics argue that its ability to turn debate into action has diminished considerably due to increasing geopolitical fragmentation.
