Confusion surrounds Trump-Zelenskyy Davos meeting amid snub rumors

DAVOS, SWITZERLAND: Uncertainty clouded at the World Economic Forum, as conflicting reports emerged over a planned meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Trump insisted that the meeting would occur on Thursday, but reports from Kyiv suggested Zelenskyy might skip the forum entirely, raising questions about a stalled reconstruction agreement.

Zelenskyy stayed in Kyiv on the forum’s opening day following a large-scale Russian strike on Ukraine’s energy grid. What began as a logistical delay has gained diplomatic significance, with opposition figures in Ukraine claiming the White House canceled the meeting and that no “prosperity plan” will be signed.

Trump corrects schedule amid uncertainty

After twice telling the Davos audience he would meet Zelenskyy “later Wednesday,” Trump clarified in a follow-up meeting with Swiss leaders, saying that the encounter is scheduled for Thursday.

The revised timeline coincides with plans for Trump’s top negotiators to travel to Moscow on Friday for talks aimed at ending the nearly four-year conflict.

Ukrainian Ambassador to Washington Olga Stefanishyna told The New York Post that Zelenskyy will “soon travel to Davos” to meet Trump, emphasizing that the visit remains on despite the emergency at home.

Reports claim meeting scrapped by US

Despite those assurances, conflicting reports persist. Ukrainian opposition lawmaker Aleksey Goncharenko wrote on Telegram that Zelenskyy would not come to Davos because “the meeting with Trump was canceled.”

“No agreement will be signed,” Goncharenko said. Politico cited a Republican foreign policy expert who claimed the hesitation is “coming from the White House.” Axios reported that a US official denied any signing date had been set, saying the agreement “still needs work.”

Prosperity plan signing remains in limbo

At the heart of the dispute is the so-called “prosperity plan,” a reconstruction framework tied to Ukraine’s rare-earth minerals. Trump has described the deal as a way for the US to recoup war-related costs, with the plan aiming to mobilize as much as $800 billion in loans and investment over the next decade. 

Speaking in Kyiv on Tuesday, Zelenskyy said he would travel only if there were “security guarantee” or “prosperity plan” documents ready to sign. With Axios reporting the deal is not finalized, that condition appears unmet, casting doubt on Thursday’s meeting. 

President claims Ukraine is delaying peace talks

The potential no-show follows Trump’s public criticism of Kyiv for delaying a settlement. He told Reuters last week that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “ready to make a deal,” while “Ukraine is less ready.”

US officials have described the rare-earth agreement as a precondition for a broader diplomatic push. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow has accepted US conditions outlined ahead of the Alaska summit and expressed hope that “these understandings remain fully valid” as Trump’s team prepares for talks in Moscow.