Trump, Zelenskyy may sign post-war reconstruction deal for Ukraine at Davos economic forum – media

U.S. and Ukrainian Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy may sign an agreement on "prosperity" and post-war reconstruction of Ukraine worth about $800 billion during the World Economic Forum in Davos, the British newspaper The Telegraph has reported on Saturday.

"Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump are heading to the Swiss mountain resort, where they are expected to meet and finalise the agreement," Western officials told The Telegraph.

The World Economic Forum in Davos will be held from January 19 to 23.

According to The Telegraph, Zelenskyy had hoped to travel to the White House next week to conclude both an economic prosperity plan and an agreement on post-war security guarantees.

However, his European allies in the Coalition of the Willing have dissuaded him from the trip and have instead suggested the World Economic Forum as a more suitable alternative for meeting Trump.

According to officials, the plan was to use the meeting to finalise an economic deal – a key part of a revised U.S.-backed proposal to end the nearly four-year war with Russia, The Telegraph said.

According to the publication, European officials involved in the peace talks have urged Zelenskyy not to rush into talks with the US president because they believe he currently supports their efforts to end the war on terms that are favourable to Kyiv.

According to Ukrainian officials, the prosperity plan aims to raise around $800 billion (GBP 600 billion) over a decade to rebuild Ukraine and jump-start its economy.

During a briefing with reporters late last year, Zelenskyy said the deal would ensure "economic recovery, the return of jobs and the return of life to Ukraine." It is believed to pave the way for a range of loans, grants and investment opportunities from private companies to provide funds.

Kyiv hopes that by offering Washington a role in post-war reconstruction, especially in projects that Trump may be sympathetic to, the U.S. president will be more inclined to provide solid security guarantees, The Telegraph said.

The deal builds on a minerals deal signed last year that gave U.S. investors preferential access to future mining projects in Ukraine.