DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) 鈥� U.S. President used the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to unveil a proposed 鈥� 鈥� for Gaza, bringing leaders from more than a dozen countries onstage Thursday, although many top American allies in the board.
Ukrainian President , meanwhile, for what he described as a slow and fragmented response to , likening it to the movie 鈥淕roundhog Day鈥� where the main character endlessly relives the same day.
also drew chuckles in his Davos debut, riffing on the difference between Trump鈥檚 Board of Peace and the U.S. taking a 鈥減iece鈥� of Greenland and Venezuela.
Attention now shifts from the Swiss Alps to the United Arab Emirates, where trilateral meetings involving the U.S., Ukraine and Russia are set to begin Friday. Trump鈥檚 envoys Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected for talks in Moscow later Thursday.
Here is the latest:
Greenland鈥檚 leader is cautious about Trump鈥檚 Arctic security deal
Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen on Thursday voiced guarded relief but he said he knew no concrete details of the agreement Trump cited for Arctic security.
鈥溾�橧 don鈥檛 know what there is in the agreement, or the deal about my country,鈥� Nielsen told reporters, calling Greenland鈥檚 sovereignty a 鈥渞ed line.鈥�
Much about the potential deal remained unclear, though Trump said in a Fox Business interview that 鈥渨e鈥檙e going to have total access to Greenland.鈥� He added that 鈥渨e鈥檙e going to have all the military access we want.鈥�
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People in Gaza dig through garbage for things to burn to keep warm 鈥� a far cry from Trump鈥檚 vision
Desperate Palestinians at a garbage dump in Gaza are digging for plastic items to burn to keep warm in the cold and damp winter.
鈥淭his is our life,鈥� said Sanaa Salah, who lives in a tent with her husband and six kids. 鈥淲e do not sleep at night from the cold.鈥�
The scene contrasts starkly with the vision for the territory projected by world leaders inaugurating Trump鈥檚 Board of Peace, which will oversee war-battered Gaza.
Trump claimed in Davos this week that 鈥渞ecord levels鈥� of humanitarian aid had entered Gaza since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire started in October. His envoys triumphantly touted the territory鈥檚 development potential.
While aid flows have significantly increased, Gaza residents say fuel and firewood are in short supply. Prices are exorbitant and searching for firewood is dangerous. Two 13-year-old boys were shot and killed by Israeli forces on Wednesday as they tried to collect firewood, hospital officials said.
Israel has killed more than 470 people in Gaza since the truce began.
Musk is optimistic for European approval of self-driving software
Musk said Tesla is hoping to get approval from European regulators for drivers to use its partial self-driving software by next month, a significant development that could help reverse a sales plunge.
Musk had previously promised European approval in the first few months of last year.
Tesla sales have fallen hard in Europe as Chinese and European electric vehicle makers have introduced new, appealing models and customers boycotted his brand due to his embrace of far right-wing politicians.
Musk draws laughter with 鈥榩iece鈥� vs. 鈥榩eace鈥�
At the start of Musk鈥檚 session, the tycoon joked about attending the Davos meeting because of Trump鈥檚 .
鈥淚 heard about the formation of the peace summit, and I was like, is that p-i-e-c? You know, a little piece of Greenland, a little piece of Venezuela,鈥� he said, laughing.
鈥淎ll we want is peace,鈥� he added to quiet chuckles from the audience.
Zelenskyy is hopeful about upcoming trilateral meetings
Still, the Ukrainian president said the issue of land in the country鈥檚 war-torn east remains 鈥渢he most difficult鈥� during his discussions with the U.S.
鈥淭his is the issue we cannot solve yet,鈥� he said.
Zelenskyy believes the two days of trilateral meetings in the United Arab Emirates, beginning Friday, will be 鈥減ositive.鈥�
The meetings will include the national security advisers of the U.S., Ukraine and Russia, the Ukrainian president said.
He also said the document covering security guarantees for Ukraine has been completed. The bilateral deal with the U.S. and Ukraine, however, would only come into effect if Russia agrees to end the war.
Musk gently criticizes tariffs on solar power as an obstacle to AI growth
As the conversation turned to artificial intelligence and the massive energy demands that come with it, Musk critiqued Trump鈥檚 trade policy.
鈥淯nfortunately in the U.S., the tariff barriers for solar (panels) are extremely high,鈥� Musk said.
鈥淎nd that makes the economics of deploying solar artificially high, because China makes almost all the solar and the tech,鈥� he said.
Musk imagines a world full of robots
Musk predicted that robots would transform society and would help humanity by reducing the need for human work 鈥� an idea he has touched on . He predicted that one day robots will end up manufacturing more robots.
鈥淭here will be such an abundance of goods and services because,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檒l be more robots than people.鈥�
He added that 鈥渆veryone on Earth鈥� is going to want a robot to take care of older parents or children. He said Tesla will begin selling robots to the public by the end of next year.
Musk aims to make life 鈥榤ultiplanetary鈥�
Musk, whose companies include Tesla, SpaceX and Starlink, says their goal is to 鈥渕aximize the probability that civilization has a great future.鈥�
He kicked off his Davos address with a high-level overview of his companies, talking about robotics, artificial intelligence, sustainable technology and making life 鈥渕ultiplanetary.鈥�
Zelenskyy criticizes European troop deployment to Greenland
Zelenskyy said Europe needs to know how to defend itself properly and the recent troop deployment to Greenland was not a serious military build-up.
鈥淵ou either declare that European bases will protect the region from Russia and China and establish those bases,鈥� the Ukrainian president said, 鈥渙r you risk not being taken seriously, because 30 or 40 soldiers will not protect anything.鈥�
Zelenskyy also offered Ukraine鈥檚 expertise to help defend the Arctic.
Musk promises an 鈥榠nteresting鈥� event at his Davos debut
Musk has taken the main stage in his debut appearance at Davos.
鈥淲e鈥檙e gonna make this interesting,鈥� the billionaire and former top Trump advisor said.
Musk鈥檚 session was billed as 鈥渁 conversation鈥� moderated by the forum鈥檚 interim co-chair, who encouraged the crowd to applaud more enthusiastically for the billionaire.
Gaza high-rise redevelopment is 鈥榯otally unrealistic,鈥� expert says
Bar-Yaacov, an international lawyer and expert in conflict resolution, described the Board of Peace鈥檚 initial concept for redeveloping the Gaza Strip as 鈥渢otally unrealistic鈥� and an indication that Trump views the project as a real estate developer, not a peacemaker.
A project with so many high-rise buildings would never be acceptable because each one would provide a clear view of Israeli military bases near the border, she said.
Bar-Yaacov also expressed concern that the board seems to give greatest weight to the rich and powerful, rather than multi-lateral cooperation.
A conflict resolution expert is skeptical of the Board of Peace鈥檚 makeup
The composition of Trump鈥檚 Board of Peace does not bode well for the project鈥檚 success, said Nomi Bar-Yaacov, an international lawyer and expert in conflict resolution.
Among the troubling signs are the likely inclusions of Netanyahu and Putin, Bar-Yaacov told the AP.
鈥淏oth of them have been indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o what kind of a board of peace is this?鈥欌��
Zelenskyy decries Russia鈥檚 targeting of energy infrastructure during harsh winter
Zelenskyy says Russia鈥檚 repeated targeting of Ukraine鈥檚 energy infrastructure was an effort to cause blackouts in Ukraine during the harshest winter the country has faced in years.
鈥淭his is the face of Russia,鈥� Zelensky said.
He said while Ukraine is now able to produce thousands of interceptor drones per day, it is not enough to defend against the number of drones and missiles Russia uses against Ukraine.
Zelenskyy announces trilateral meetings between US, Ukraine and Russia
Zelenskyy has announced two days of trilateral meetings between the U.S., Ukraine and Russia in the Emirates starting Friday.
The trilateral meetings will follow the American negotiating team鈥檚 visit to Moscow the day before.
鈥淩ussians have to be ready for compromises because, you know, everybody has to be ready, not only Ukraine,鈥� Zelenskyy said, 鈥渁nd this is important for us.鈥�
Zelenskyy criticizes Europe and references 鈥楪roundhog Day鈥�
Zelenskyy has delivered strong words criticizing European leaders on the continent鈥檚 security.
鈥淛ust last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words: Europe needs to know how to defend itself. A year has passed. And nothing has changed. We are still in a situation where I must say the same words again,鈥� he said in a speech at Davos.
He added that Europe needs to 鈥渁ct now,鈥� referencing the film 鈥淕roundhog Day.鈥�
The war in Ukraine approaches the fourth anniversary of Russia鈥檚 full-scale invasion.
Zelenskyy says documents for a deal to end war are 鈥榥early, nearly ready鈥�
Zelenskyy said documents for a deal to end the war in Ukraine are 鈥渘early, nearly ready.鈥�
Some of the documents seek security guarantees, while others cover economic plans for the future of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy calls Trump meeting 鈥榩roductive and substantive鈥�
Zelenskyy has called his meeting with Trump 鈥減roductive and substantive鈥� in a post Thursday on social media.
The Ukrainian president said on X that he and Trump spoke about air defense for Ukraine. Zelenskyy also wrote that he thanked the U.S. leader for the previous package of air defense missiles, while asking for an additional one.
鈥淥ur previous meeting with President Trump helped strengthen the protection of our skies, and I hope that this time we will reinforce it further as well,鈥� he said.
Trump has a long drive back to Zurich
Trump is leaving Davos, but bad weather kept his helicopter grounded, meaning he faces a drive from the mountain town to Air Force One that could take as long as two hours.
Trump says he had a 鈥榞ood鈥� meeting with Zelenskyy
The U.S. and Ukrainian leaders were together for about an hour in what Trump described to reporters as a good meeting.
The Russia-Ukraine war 鈥渉as to end,鈥� Trump said, adding, 鈥淲e hope it鈥檚 going to end.鈥�
鈥淚 think the meeting was good,鈥� he said. U.S. representatives will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
Trump says emerging Greenland deal includes 鈥榓ll the military access鈥� we want
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to have total access to Greenland,鈥� Trump said in a Fox Business interview with Maria Bartiromo. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to have all the military access we want.鈥�
Trump said the deal, if completed, will also allow for the U.S. to install an element of his 鈥淕olden Dome,鈥� part of a multibillion dollar missile defense system, on the Danish territory.
The president on Wednesday scrapped the tariffs that he threatened to impose on eight European nations to press for U.S. control after he said he came to an agreement with on a 鈥渇ramework of a future deal鈥� on Arctic security.
Trump-Zelenskyy meeting ends after about an hour
A meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump has ended, Ukrainian presidential spokesman Serhii Nykyforov said.
The meeting between the two leaders at Davos lasted about an hour.
鈥淭hey had a brief one-on-one conversation at the end,鈥� Nykyforov added.
Zelenskyy鈥檚 media adviser Dmytro Lytvyn said: 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 count how long the meeting lasted, but it was good.鈥�
The two leaders stayed off camera, and there was no photo op nor questions taken.
Trump and Zelenskyy in Davos together
The Ukrainian president passed reporters on his way into a meeting with Trump at the World Economic Forum.
Trump said earlier today that ending the remains a priority.
鈥淲e鈥檙e working to end the horrible killing in Ukraine,鈥� Trump said at the launch of his Board of Peace.
U.S. representatives will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin later Thursday, Trump said after the event.
Zelenskyy arrives for Davos talks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr has arrived at the Congress Center ahead of his panel discussion.
He walked past the media without answering questions.
Putin meets with Palestinian President Abbas in Moscow
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday hosted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Moscow for talks.
The Russian leader noted that 鈥渂ack in 1988, the Soviet Union recognized the Palestinian state, and we maintain the same position today.鈥�
鈥淥ur approach to the issues of Palestine and the Middle East settlement is principled, not opportunistic. We believe that only forming and proper functioning of the Palestinian state can lead to a final settlement of the Middle East conflict,鈥� Putin said.
Putin said the two will discuss the situation in Gaza and 鈥渙n the Israeli-Palestinian track,鈥� including Trump鈥檚 Board of Peace.
Moscow is considering an invitation to join, according to Putin, who has proposed sending $1 billion to the board from Russian assets frozen in the U.S.
鈥淔irst and foremost in order to support the Palestinian people, allocate these funds for rebuilding Gaza, generally on solving problems of Palestine,鈥� Putin told Abbas.
鈥淚 think it is quite possible,鈥� Putin added. 鈥淲e have discussed such options before with the representatives of the U.S. administration, and today a meeting and a conversation on this topic is planned in Moscow.鈥�
Putin is due to meet Thursday with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
China refutes Trump wind power claim
China on Thursday refuted Trump鈥檚 claim that it doesn鈥檛 use wind power turbines at home while dominating the international market for them.
Trump blasted wind energy in a speech Wednesday in Davos, saying 鈥渟tupid people鈥� were buying windmills from China, which doesn鈥檛 use them at home.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said China had 600 million kilowatts of wind power capacity as of the end of November, adding that Chinese exports of wind and solar power equipment had helped other countries reduce their carbon emissions.
鈥淐hina鈥檚 efforts in addressing climate change and promoting the development and application of global renewable energy are evident to all,鈥� he said in Beijing.
Israel does not immediately comment on Rafah crossing
Israel鈥檚 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu鈥檚 office and the Israeli military did not have immediate comment on the possible opening of the Rafah crossing.
Kushner, Trump tout Gaza development potential
Jared Kushner, Trump鈥檚 son-in-law who has been involved in Middle East negotiations, gave a slide deck presentation at the Board of Peace launch that included real estate development plans by zones.
鈥淲e do not have a plan B,鈥� Kushner said, adding that people in Middle East build cities in two or three years.
Trump, during his closing remarks, noted his own experiences in real estate.
He described Gaza as 鈥渢his beautiful piece of property鈥� and suggested his push for peace between Israel and Hamas 鈥渁ll began with the location.鈥�
Rafah border crossing to open next week
Ali Shaath, head of new technocratic government in Gaza, announced the Rafah border crossing will open in both directions next week.
Israel said in early December it would open the crossing between Gaza and Egypt, but has yet to do so.
Shaath spoke by video message to leaders at the forum.
Marco Rubio praises board, emphasizes Gaza mission
The U.S. secretary of state praised the Board of Peace as 鈥渁 group of leaders that is about action鈥� and credited Trump for bringing it together.
鈥淗e鈥檚 not limited by some of the things that have happened in the past, and he鈥檚 willing to talk to or engage with anyone in the interest of peace,鈥� Rubio said.
Rubio stressed the body鈥檚 job 鈥渇irst and foremost鈥� is 鈥渕aking sure that this peace deal in Gaza becomes enduring.鈥�
Then, Rubio said, it can look elsewhere.
With details of the board鈥檚 operations still unclear, Rubio described it is a work in progress.
鈥淢any others who are going to join, you know, others either are not in town today or they have to go through some procedure internally in their own countries, in their own country, because of constitutional limitations, but others will join,鈥� Rubio said.
Board of Peace takes shape with few details about mandate, membership
Trump inaugurated his newly created Board of Peace with a handful of founding members but offered few details about its mandate and how the panel will work or might pursue efforts to end global conflicts.
Trump hailed the board as 鈥渟omething very, very unique for the world.鈥�
Speaking at a ceremony to sign the board鈥檚 charter, Trump said it could work with the United Nations to resolve wars not only in the Middle East, where the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza was the genesis of the concept.
But he did not provide specifics about how the board would cooperate with the U.N.
A number of countries, many of them close U.S. allies, have expressed concerns Trump might want the board to supplant or rival the U.N. and have either refused to sign on or remained noncommittal.
Trump and others signing Board of Peace documents
The U.S. president concluded his remarks and he and leaders from Board of Peace nations are signing documents.
The White House billed the ceremony as a sort of charter launch, but no charter draft has been publicly released. Nor is a complete membership list clear yet.
Some invitees are still considering whether to join.
Trump affirms global ambition for his Board of Peace
Trump reaffirmed the Board of Peace will start with a focus on Gaza but then look globally.
鈥淚 think we can spread out to other things as as we succeed with Gaza, we鈥檙e going to be very successful in Gaza,鈥� he said, adding, 鈥淲e can do numerous other things. Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do.
鈥淗e promised again to work 鈥渋n conjunction with the United Nations,鈥� though he still criticized the U.N. for not doing enough historically.
鈥淚 think the combination of the Board of Peace with the kind of people we have here, coupled with the United Nations, can be something very, very unique for the world,鈥� Trump said.
Trump suggests Middle East problems can end easily
The U.S. president says the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza 鈥渋s really coming to an end鈥� and Hezbollah鈥檚 presence in Lebanon amounts to 鈥渞emnants.鈥�
On Gaza, Trump said, 鈥淭hey鈥檙e down to little fires. We can put them out very easily.鈥�
Trump acknowledged Hezbollah remains in Lebanon, but he downplayed the group鈥檚 strength.
鈥淭hese are remnants. I call them remnants,鈥� Trump said.
Trump mentions UN as a partner
In his opening remarks praising the launch of his Board of Peace, Trump made a point to mention the United Nations.
He said 鈥渕any nations鈥� have been part of establishing the body.
Then he added, 鈥淲e鈥檒l work with many others, including the United Nations.鈥�
Trump has been highly critical of the U.N. and withdrawn the U.S. from multiple international organizations, and he has expressed ambitions recently that the new international board can with the U.N. as an international broker.
Board of Peace logo focuses on US, other parts of Americas
Trump initially billed his Board of Peace focused on Gaza. Then he said it could play alongside the U.N. as a global broker.
But the logo featured at the Davos event depicts North America and only parts of South America.
The White House and State Department in Trump鈥檚 second presidency also been highly , complete with Trump dubbing his approach the 鈥淒onroe Doctrine鈥� as a play on the Monroe Doctrine established under the fifth U.S. president.
Trump has arrived for Board of Peace launch
The U.S. president will pitch his new international body with heads of government and top diplomats from multiple continents.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff also are with Trump.
The board initially was billed as part of the peace process for Israel and Gaza but Trump has since expanded his ambitions for the group, saying it can play a role mediating other international conflicts.
Merz supports talks between Denmark, Greenland and US
Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany, one of the European countries that had faced Trump鈥檚 threat of tariffs over Greenland, said he supports talks between Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. but reaffirmed the Danish kingdom鈥檚 sovereignty.
鈥淚t is good news that we are making steps into that right direction,鈥� Merz said at Davos. 鈥淚 welcome President Trump鈥檚 remarks from last night 鈥� this is the right way to go.鈥�
Rubio, Witkoff, Kushner lead Board of Peace鈥� US delegation with Trump
Trump鈥檚 core foreign policy advisers are expected to join him at the 鈥淏oard of Peace鈥� event, with Trump鈥檚 son-in-law Jared Kushner in the room alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. envoy .
have been at the center of multiple international negotiations, with Kushner involved especially in Middle East despite not having an official White House role as he did in the first Trump presidency.
Trump and other leaders set to launch Board of Peace
The U.S. president will host presidents, prime ministers and top diplomats from more than a dozen countries to tout his international
The list of attendees, according to a World Economic Forum schedule, is heavy on the Middle East and South America. But it remains short on major U.S. allies from Europe and the full membership list still isn鈥檛 clear.
Among the heads of government: Argentina President Javier Milei and Indonesia President , both Trump allies; Paraguay鈥檚 conservative President ; Uzbekistan President ; Pakistan Prime Minister ; Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev.
Pashinyan and Aliyev at the White House last year.
Attendees also include ministers and diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Turkey and Morocco, among others.
Elon Musk to speak at Davos in newly scheduled session
Tech billionaire Elon Musk is set to speak at Davos on Thursday in a newly scheduled session.
The World Economic Forum, which Musk previously criticized, confirmed it will be the Tesla owner’s first time attending the elite event in the Swiss Alps.
His address is billed as a conversation with Laurence Fink, BlackRock鈥檚 CEO and interim co-chair of the forum.
Musk is with Ryanair CEO Michael O鈥橪eary that began with a dispute over installing systems on Ryanair planes. O’Leary on Wednesday dismissed the tech titan鈥檚 suggestion he would buy the budget airline.
Asian shares rise, tracking Wall Street gains as Trump backs off Greenland
Asian mostly advanced on Thursday, tracking Wall Street, after Trump walked back from imposing tariffs on eight European countries over and ruled out using military force to take control of the territory.
The future for the S&P 500 was up 0.4% on Thursday, while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 0.3%.
Tokyo鈥檚 Nikkei 225 climbed 1.9% to 53,760.85, with technology stocks among those leading the gain. SoftBank Group jumped 11% and chipmaker Tokyo Electron rose 3.7%.
Rutte stresses keeping Ukraine as priority
The NATO chief is urging allies to 鈥渒eep our eyes on the ball of Ukraine鈥� after a standoff over Greenland that rattled the alliance appeared to ease a day earlier.
Rutte, speaking at the Ukraine breakfast, didn鈥檛 address a question about whether Greenland, which Trump has coveted, would remain a part of Denmark under the 鈥渇ramework of a future deal鈥� announced by the president.
Rutte noted European plans to free up funds for Ukraine鈥檚 defense and U.S.-led talks about a peace deal, but said those efforts wouldn鈥檛 bear fruit immediately and Russia continues to launch drone and missile attacks on Ukraine.
鈥淲hat we need is to keep our eyes on the ball of Ukraine. Let鈥檚 not drop that ball,鈥� Rutte said.
Trump seeks to spotlight his proposed 鈥楤oard of Peace鈥�
wants to spotlight his proposed at Davos on Thursday, looking to create momentum for a project that has been overshadowed this week by .
The new board initially was envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the Gaza ceasefire, but has morphed into something far more ambitious. about its membership and mandate has led some traditional U.S. allies to take a pass so far.
Trump expressed confidence in his idea ahead of what the White House said would be a 鈥渃harter announcement鈥� on the sidelines of the forum in the Swiss Alps.
Danish PM says she won鈥檛 negotiate on sovereignty
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Thursday that her country can鈥檛 negotiate on its sovereignty.
She has been 鈥渋nformed that this has not been the case鈥� following the announcement of a new framework with NATO on Arctic security without the U.S. using force to .
In a statement, the Danish leader said security in the Arctic is a matter for all of NATO and 鈥済ood and natural鈥� that it be discussed between the U.S. president and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Frederiksen said she has spoken with Rutte 鈥渙n an ongoing basis,鈥� including before and after he met Trump in Davos.
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