Davos 2022: Zelenskyy says Russian war is testing whether brute force can rule world


Tim Stickings
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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took his country's rallying cry to the World Economic Forum in Davos on Monday, telling assembled political and business leaders that their annual gatherings would become pointless if Russia succeeds in getting its way by force.

"This is really the moment when it is decided whether brute force will rule the world," Mr Zelenskyy told delegates in a speech, in which he demanded tougher sanctions to stop Moscow's aggression in its tracks. "If so, that force is not interested in our thoughts and there is no need for further meetings in Davos."

It came on the first day of a summit in the Swiss Alps dominated by the war in Ukraine. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the violence was unfolding only 2,000 kilometres away from the idyllic summit venue, playing the sound of air raid sirens from his phone and gesturing at guests as he said: "We are defending you personally".

Mr Klitschko said more than 100 civilians had died in Kyiv in a war about to enter its fourth month. Ukraine said on Monday it was fighting to keep control of the stronghold of Severodonetsk in the eastern regions that have become the war's main battleground.

The head of the UN's food programme meanwhile urged the super-rich to put their money behind tackling food insecurity, a growing concern thrown up by the war between two of the world's biggest agricultural exporters.

"There's a lot of wealthy people in the world who can step up," said David Beasley, who last year sparred with Elon Musk over the Tesla founder's offer to put some of his billions behind tackling world hunger.

Mr Zelenskyy said Russia's invasion had turned Ukraine's ports into a "sea full of mines and blocked ports" – a manoeuvre blamed by western countries for triggering the global food crisis – and blighted its skies with thousands of bombs and cruise missiles.

"This is what the world would look like if this turning point does not receive a proper response from humanity," said Mr Zelenskyy, who called for more weapons and financial aid for Ukraine of at least $5 billion per month.

Kristalina Georgieva, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, said at Davos that she could not rule out a recession for the world's major economies although she did not expect one at this stage.

Mr Zelenskyy said Ukraine was defying expectations by holding its own against the offensive but asked: "Would we have to do that if we were heard last year and a full range of sanctions were applied against Russia?".

He said sanctions needed to go further to cut off all trade with Russia and weaken its banks and oil exports. European Union sanctions have hit the buffers since the bloc's leaders proposed an oil embargo early this month, a move viewed warily by pipeline-reliant member states.

The sanctions "should be maximum so that Russia and every other potential aggressor who wants to wage a brutal war against its neighbour would clearly know the immediate consequences for their actions," Mr Zelenskyy said. "I believe there are still no such sanctions against Russia, and there should be."

He said setting such a precedent, including the withdrawal of all foreign businesses from Russia, should last for "decades to come" as a deterrent to potential invaders.

"If the aggressor loses everything, then it definitely deprives him of any motivation to start the war," he said.

Companies who move their operations from Russia to Ukraine would protect their brands and gain access to European markets with which Mr Zelenskyy wants to become increasingly integrated, he said.

Mr Zelenskyy invited delegates to take part in the reconstruction of Ukraine after the fighting with Russian troops laid waste to cities such as Mariupol. Sponsors will be invited to take patronage of areas and support rebuilding work once the war is over, he said.

Russian delegates were banished from Davos after the war broke out, while Ukraine has sent a delegation to lobby for more support from world leaders. The event in the Swiss Alps is taking place in person for the first time since early 2020, after a hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.

What was previously Russia House in Davos has been transformed by critics, including Ukrainian tycoon Victor Pinchuk and Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, into what they call the “Russia War Crimes House", displaying pictures of alleged atrocities.

A Ukrainian court on Monday found a young Russian soldier guilty of war crimes and handed him a life sentence, in the first such verdict during the three-month conflict.

A sergeant from Siberia, Vadim Shishimarin had admitted in court to killing a 62-year-old civilian, Oleksandr Shelipov, in the village of Chupakhivka in north-east Ukraine. Prosecutors said he shot between three and four bullets.

UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

DUBAI SEVENS 2018 DRAW

Gulf Men’s League
Pool A – Dubai Exiles, Dubai Hurricanes, Bahrain, Dubai Sports City Eagles
Pool B – Jebel Ali Dragons, Abu Dhabi Saracens, Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Al Ain Amblers

Gulf Men’s Open
Pool A – Bahrain Firbolgs, Arabian Knights, Yalla Rugby, Muscat
Pool B – Amman Citadel, APB Dubai Sharks, Jebel Ali Dragons 2, Saudi Rugby
Pool C – Abu Dhabi Harlequins 2, Roberts Construction, Dubai Exiles 2
Pool D – Dubai Tigers, UAE Shaheen, Sharjah Wanderers, Amman Citadel 2

Gulf U19 Boys
Pool A – Deira International School, Dubai Hurricanes, British School Al Khubairat, Jumeirah English Speaking School B
Pool B – Dubai English Speaking College 2, Jumeirah College, Dubai College A, Abu Dhabi Harlequins 2
Pool C – Bahrain Colts, Al Yasmina School, DESC, DC B
Pool D – Al Ain Amblers, Repton Royals, Dubai Exiles, Gems World Academy Dubai
Pool E – JESS A, Abu Dhabi Sharks, Abu Dhabi Harlequins 1, EC

Gulf Women
Pool A – Kuwait Scorpions, Black Ruggers, Dubai Sports City Eagles, Dubai Hurricanes 2
Pool B – Emirates Firebirds, Sharjah Wanderers, RAK Rides, Beirut Aconites
Pool C – Dubai Hurricanes, Emirates Firebirds 2, Abu Dhabi Saracens, Transforma Panthers
Pool D – AUC Wolves, Dubai Hawks, Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Al Ain Amblers

Gulf U19 Girls
Pool A – Dubai Exiles, BSAK, DESC, Al Maha
Pool B – Arabian Knights, Dubai Hurricanes, Al Ain Amblers, Abu Dhabi Harlequins

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

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Second Test, Day 2:

South Africa 335 & 75/1 (22.0 ov)
England 205
South Africa lead by 205 runs with 9 wickets remaining

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The full list of 2020 Brit Award nominees (winners in bold):

British group

Coldplay

Foals

Bring me the Horizon

D-Block Europe

Bastille

British Female

Mabel

Freya Ridings

FKA Twigs

Charli xcx

Mahalia​

British male

Harry Styles

Lewis Capaldi

Dave

Michael Kiwanuka

Stormzy​

Best new artist

Aitch

Lewis Capaldi

Dave

Mabel

Sam Fender

Best song

Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber - I Don’t Care

Mabel - Don’t Call Me Up

Calvin Harrison and Rag’n’Bone Man - Giant

Dave - Location

Mark Ronson feat. Miley Cyrus - Nothing Breaks Like A Heart

AJ Tracey - Ladbroke Grove

Lewis Capaldi - Someone you Loved

Tom Walker - Just You and I

Sam Smith and Normani - Dancing with a Stranger

Stormzy - Vossi Bop

International female

Ariana Grande

Billie Eilish

Camila Cabello

Lana Del Rey

Lizzo

International male

Bruce Springsteen

Burna Boy

Tyler, The Creator

Dermot Kennedy

Post Malone

Best album

Stormzy - Heavy is the Head

Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka

Lewis Capaldi - Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent

Dave - Psychodrama

Harry Styles - Fine Line

Rising star

Celeste

Joy Crookes

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Key Points
  • Protests against President Omar Al Bashir enter their sixth day
  • Reports of President Bashir's resignation and arrests of senior government officials
CREW
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
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​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km

The specs

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Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm

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Transmission: 6-speed auto

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The Programme

Saturday, October 26: ‘The Time That Remains’ (2009) by Elia Suleiman
Saturday, November 2: ‘Beginners’ (2010) by Mike Mills
Saturday, November 16: ‘Finding Vivian Maier’ (2013) by John Maloof and Charlie Siskel
Tuesday, November 26: ‘All the President’s Men’ (1976) by Alan J Pakula
Saturday, December 7: ‘Timbuktu’ (2014) by Abderrahmane Sissako
Saturday, December 21: ‘Rams’ (2015) by Grimur Hakonarson

THE BIO

Bio Box

Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul

Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader

Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet

Favorite food: seafood

Favorite place to travel: Lebanon

Favorite movie: Braveheart

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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'Top Gun: Maverick'

Rating: 4/5

 

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

 

Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris

 
Updated: May 23, 2022, 3:16 PM`