WEF expert: “Zelenskyj’s appearance was so emotional that it has almost never happened before” Peace summit will take place in Geneva +++ Zelenskyj: “Putin wants war without end”

People heard that Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the WEF dominated everything. What was your impression?
I have been at the WEF for 21 years and have never seen such a busy conference hall. The visitors even stood at the back of the room because there were no more seats.

Has this ever happened before?
No. There was enormous interest and afterwards there was even a standing ovation. Zelensky’s performance was so emotional that it had hardly been seen before. WEF chairman Børge Brende described Zelenskyj as a historical figure, who also impressed CEOs and government representatives. Many guests took photos or selfies hoping to see Zelensky in the background. There was definitely something pop star-like about his performance.

How did Zelensky’s performance differ from previous appearances by high-profile guests?
It was much cooler at previous performances. Until now, people have never managed to get up at the end; older guests told me that in 1992 the hall was only for Nelson Mandela. When Donald Trump attended in 2018, the room was also full, but only about half of the attendees applauded afterwards. With Zelensky it was everyone. The 100 or so Chinese attendees at the WEF probably wouldn’t have stood up, but I didn’t see them in the hall.

What can be said about Zelensky’s appearance?
He was, of course, the opposite of diplomatic.

Can you do this?
You have to imagine this: Zelensky regularly visits the front, he sees corpses every day, including dead children. That makes a politician a different person and Zelenskyj conveyed that.

How did this manifest itself?
In an extremely clear indictment against Russia. Zelensky spoke very clearly and described Putin as a predator. He also said that Putin and his children will never be safe in this world. They would be held accountable, it was only a matter of time. You never really hear sounds like that on the WEF stage.

What else stood out about his speech?
He blamed the West. Zelensky has always thanked him during previous appearances, but here at the WEF he only did so as an aside. He accused the Chamber of imposing sanctions far too late, but immediately called again for support for Ukraine to put an end to the madness.

Is this approach also due to the situation in the Middle East?
His personal appearance at the WEF certainly has something to do with the fact that the war in Ukraine has been somewhat forgotten due to the situation in the Middle East. Zelenskiy wants Ukraine to be at the top of the priority list for participants in the World Economic Forum.

Is Zelenskyj aware that concrete measures are rarely taken at the WEF?
He is certainly not naive and knows that decisions will not be made immediately. Especially since Russia is not present at the WEF.

But?
However, Zelensky praised the conference held last Sunday under the auspices of Switzerland, with more than 80 participating states. He also explicitly mentioned Federal President Viola Amherd. And he has raised great hopes for the peace talks announced together with Switzerland. He emphasized that teams from both sides are already working. One can only hope that federal councilors Amherd and Cassis can keep the promises they apparently made to Zelensky.

What role does it play in relation to Zelensky’s appearance that Russia is not participating in the WEF?
It’s called the World Economic Forum, but the WEF has become a Western forum. Chinese Premier Li Qiang appeared Tuesday morning and made no mention of Ukraine or Russia; he is the outsider in this regard. Almost all participants are on the Ukrainian side. But of course, when you talk about ending the war, Russia has to play a role as the aggressor. However, the Russians are not present, China does not talk about the war and the WEF can do nothing.

You described Zelensky’s performance as pop star-like. Doesn’t this lead participants to become uncritical of Zelensky? Or is criticism completely out of place?
There is really nothing to criticize about his performance. That was – to put it somewhat casually – lobbying at a high level, rhetorically brilliant. There is a greater risk that you will now get the feeling that everything will be fine.

What do you mean?
Ukraine is said to have one of the largest militaries in the world, thanks to support from Europe and the US. But the fact is, things aren’t looking good right now. We hear at the WEF that Putin has the staying power; Ukraine’s long-announced counteroffensive has not yet been implemented. A victory for Ukraine is possible, and I and most of the people in the room really hope so. However, Zelenskyj’s appearance at the WEF may paint a non-objective picture of reality.

The WEF is repeatedly criticized. Does it add to the reputation that a person of Zelensky’s caliber appeared on the ground during an ongoing war?
The WEF has a dual interest. It has given up its neutrality, is on the side of Ukraine and is boycotting Russia, this is underlined by Zelensky’s visit. Overall, Zelenskyj’s actions are a PR coup for the WEF and its founder Klaus Schwab. The Ukrainian president is perhaps the most interesting politician in the world right now. The fact that he physically appears here reinforces the event and underlines its relevance.

What does Zelenskyj’s appearance bring to Switzerland?
It certainly improves Switzerland’s somewhat battered reputation as a country of good services. However, it is also true that Switzerland’s reputation as a neutral country could suffer because the country positions itself so clearly on Ukraine’s side. The question is therefore whether China, for example, will actually participate in the announced peace talks. The same applies to Turkey, which canceled the WEF at short notice. From the perspective of these states, Switzerland is no longer neutral, but clearly belongs to the Ukrainian camp.

One final question: Were Zelensky’s achievements the most impressive in your 21 years at the WEF?
In terms of emotionality, yes. Also related to the safety measures, splendor. Everything was even bigger with Donald Trump. But ultimately the war in Ukraine is the first war of aggression in Europe since the Second World War. The president of the attacked country is physically present at the WEF, which is a superlative.