Davos Switzerland — where the world’s billionaires are meeting after a two-year gap at the World Economic Forum, to decide how to keep the world from spinning out of their control long enough so they can spend their money.
This year’s theme appears to be, ending the war in Ukraine before it becomes too costly and consumes all of Europe and the entire globe in misery.
Once again, in what’s become a long-standing tradition at Davos, I wasn’t invited to speak.
Instead, the captains of capitalism chose Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian President and leader of the resistance to the Russian invasion of his country, along with his pragmatic opposite, the venerable (really old) Henry Kissinger, who knows a thing or two about war crimes. (Read Christopher Hitchens’ The Trial of Henry Kissinger for more on that).
Zelensky, as you might expect, got a standing ovation from the Davos crowd when he called on business leaders to cut all ties with Russia. But breaking up with Russia, the source of many of their trillions in profits is not quite as easy as it sounds. Especially with the prospect of a Republican victory in the US midterm elections which could reverse current policy and end the sanctions against Russia altogether.
Two months ago, three Republicans voted against the first pro-Ukraine bill. This month, 57 opposed a request for weapons and humanitarian aid. It’s pretty clear that the GOP’s populist/isolationist base is not into sending billions more for the war effort.
“It is necessary to set a precedent so that your brands will not be associated with war crimes,” Zelensky pleaded. (Starbucks said yesterday it was exiting Russia.)
He went on to say that Ukrainian officials were at Davos and could “inform all of you on the prospects for business.”
But I didn’t hear of many Davos goers jumping up and down at the prospect of making major investments in Ukraine, at least until the war ends and the rebuilding begins. That’s one reason why Kissinger is urging them to push for immediate peace talks.
Kissinger, who was Nixon’s National Security Advisor and Sec. of State, and who gets credit for Nixon’s Cold War rapprochement between the US and China, told the Forum attendees what every sane or borderline plutocrat already knows — that the war is unwinnable and will ultimately end, either through negotiations or with all of Europe in flames.
“Negotiations need to begin in the next two months,” said Kissinger, “before it creates upheavals and tensions that will not be easily overcome. Ideally, the dividing line should be a return to the status quo ante. Pursuing the war beyond that point would not be about the freedom of Ukraine, but a new war against Russia itself.”
According to the Telegraph:
The comments come amid growing signs that the Western coalition against Vladimir Putin is fraying badly as the food and energy crisis deepens and that sanctions may have reached their limits.
“We’re seeing the worst of Europe,” said German vice-chancellor Robert Habeck in an angry outburst in Davos, accusing Hungary and other recalcitrant states of paralyzing attempts by the rest of the EU to craft a full-fledged oil embargo.