Europe at a Crossroads as Davos Summit Opens Amid Heightened Global Tensions

World Economic Forum (WEF) will bring together 3,000 participants from 130 countries from January 19 to 23.

The annual gathering of the world’s political and economic elite begins this year at a moment of profound uncertainty for Europe. With questions mounting over the continent’s relationship with Washington, the future of its economic model, and the stability of its security architecture, the mood heading into the Davos summit is markedly different from previous editions.

"The Iranian Foreign Minister will not attend Davos. Although he was invited last autumn, the tragic loss of civilian lives in Iran in recent weeks makes the presence of the Iranian government in Davos this year inappropriate," the WEF said on the social network X.

For many long‑time attendees, the Sunday before the World Economic Forum—usually a relatively calm prelude—felt unusually intense. Conversations in hotels, cafés, and conference corridors were marked by a sense of unease. According to several participants, this year’s forum promises to be unlike any other.

Davos is also expecting prominent religious leaders, NGOs, union representatives, musicians and even a queen (Mathilde of Belgium), in keeping with the event's eclectic spirit according lemonde.fr

In the otherwise peaceful and even cheerful Swiss mountain resort, a kind of anticipatory anxiety has steadily taken hold. As world leaders prepared to descend on Davos, the atmosphere grew increasingly charged, hinting at what is expected to be a fundamental reassessment of the current international order.

Donald Trump's arrival comes against the backdrop of strained transatlantic relations—driven by his administration’s controversial effort to purchase Greenland, tariff threats aimed at European allies, and a military intervention in Venezuela. The Azerbaijani President, Ilham Aliyev, is also there. Furthermore, the Global Tourism Forum will take place in the same place, same day.

As leaders gather to debate the world’s most pressing challenges, Europe finds itself navigating a complex geopolitical landscape—one where old alliances are shifting, new power dynamics are emerging, and the decisions made in Davos may help shape the continent’s trajectory for years to come.

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Les dirigeants du monde entier se réunissent à Davos alors que Trump remodèle l'ordre mondial | Euronews