Reporter’s Notebook: Davos Portraits — From Zelensky to Musk
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 22, 2026. Photo: VCG
(Davos, Switzerland) — To gauge the seismic shifts of the 2020s, one need look no further than the faces inside the Congress Center at Davos this week.
Three figures — Volodymyr Zelensky, Donald Trump, and Elon Musk — stood as avatars of this new era, embodying the pivot from globalist idealism to raw power and future shock.
Volodymyr Zelensky
My first encounter with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Davos occurred shortly after Russia launched its attack.
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- Volodymyr Zelensky, Donald Trump, and Elon Musk embodied key shifts at Davos, from globalism to power and innovation.
- Zelensky’s focus shifted from heroic appeals to pragmatic support-seeking as the Ukraine war persisted, navigating both Russian aggression and Western fatigue, with tense interactions with Trump.
- Elon Musk impressed with predictions that AI would surpass human intelligence by 2024–2027, while Trump transitioned from outsider to central figure commanding deference among global elites.
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Who’s Who
- BlackRock
- BlackRock's Chairman, Larry Fink, was on stage with Elon Musk at Davos. Musk, in his iconic black attire, calmly delivered his predictions about AI's rapid advancements, captivating a large audience. The discussion highlighted the significant figures present at the event and their influence on global conversations.
- Caixin Media
- Caixin Media is mentioned as the employer of Li Xin, the author of the article. Li Xin holds the position of Vice President at Caixin Media. The article also clarifies that the views expressed in third-party articles do not necessarily reflect the positions of Caixin Media.
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What Happened When
- 2018：
- Trump attended Davos for the first time as U.S. President and delivered a speech.
- February 2022：
- Russia launched its attack on Ukraine and the war began.
- May 2022：
- Volodymyr Zelensky addressed Davos via video link at the first in-person World Economic Forum post-pandemic; Russian credentials were revoked and 'Russia House' was turned into 'War Crimes House'.
- January 2024：
- Author's second encounter with Zelensky occurred at a small media gathering, with the war having reached a stalemate.
- Starting 2025：
- Zelensky began facing Donald Trump as a new adversary regarding the war.
- January 2026：
- Davos 2026: Zelensky had a one-hour meeting with Trump after weather delayed his arrival; Trump spent 24 hours at Davos.
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