NAKO Executive Director Olena Tregub attended the World Economic Forum, which take place from 20 to 24 January in Davos, Switzerland. She spoke to Ukrainian Radio about the main topics of the Forum and its attitude towards Ukraine.
The participants of the Forum are mainly focused on discussing artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies, as these technologies have a direct impact on the economy. Despite the fact that security has never been at the top of the agenda in Davos, the forum also discussed the war.
In his speech, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that Europe must be able to guarantee security for itself and its allies. “It is clear that Zelenskyy is making his usual plea for Europe to wake up. But the most important event took place not in Davos, but in Washington. Donald Trump has come to power and it is clear that he will decide a lot of things. Not just him, of course, but to a large extent the fate of the war and Ukraine. And I have the impression that here in Davos they expect him to decide the fate of Europe as well,” Tregub said.
Olena Tregub also noted that although businessmen are interested in investing in Ukraine’s reconstruction, they are not taking practical steps in this direction. “People in big business calculate everything in percentages. And they may have calculated that it is unlikely that the war will end immediately after Trump’s arrival, as he populistically promised voters. So they’re in no hurry. On the other hand, there is interest. Everyone understands that if it ends positively for Ukraine, there will be great opportunities,” she explained.
In general, the NAKO Executive Director noted a positive attitude towards Ukrainians. According to her, the image of Ukraine has improved a lot as the world has learned more about our country. “It is still symbolic support for Ukraine, but it is good that no one confuses us with the Russians. And it is good that there are Ukrainians in Davos, not Russians,” she concluded.