"Fair peace" without illusions — what Budanov said in Davos

The discussion in Davos on the path to peace for Ukraine was notably restrained this time — not emotional, but clearly structured around key questions: what the goal of negotiations should be, where the critical safeguards must be placed, and which states will attempt to influence the framework of a future agreement. Ukraine is not diluting the objective of peace, but it will also not allow that objective to be replaced by a formula in which essential guarantees disappear into the fine print.

This was reported by Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, speaking at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday, January 20. The joint panel also included Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, and Politico Europe Editor-in-Chief Jamil Anderlini.

Ukraine does not dilute the goal of peace

Budanov's focus was pragmatic. According to him, Ukraine is consolidating its efforts and organizing its approach in order to bring the negotiation track to a tangible result. Within this framework, he immediately outlined Moscow’s most predictable position: Russia will insist that Ukraine not become a member of NATO. At the same time, Budanov separated political rhetoric from factual assessments regarding China. In his view, Beijing is using Russia for economic gain, but has not transferred a single unit of weapons to it.

A separate section of the discussion focused on the diaspora as a real instrument of external influence. Budanov directly appealed to Ukrainians abroad not only as donors, but as communities capable of shaping the political agenda in their countries of residence:

"Ukraine needs help in absolutely all areas — starting with donations for weapons, for the war effort, for assistance to the wounded and to people who have lost everything in this war, and ending with community influence through people who have long since integrated into society and can affect politicians in the countries where they live. And together, this will help." Budanov said.

This logic fits into the broader context of negotiations Ukraine is holding with the United States on the parameters of a future agreement and security guarantees — talks which, according to public statements, are expected to continue on the sidelines of the Davos forum. In recent days, Budanov has publicly articulated the objective in the same concise, no-frills manner — unusually restrained for a political season: "Ukraine needs a just peace. We are working to achieve results," Reuters quoted him as saying.

The overall takeaway from the speech was a signal aimed simultaneously at international partners and the domestic audience: Ukraine is not diluting the goal of peace, but it will not allow that goal to be replaced by a formula in which key guarantees disappear into the fine print. It was also a reminder that diplomacy in 2026 functions as a system of levers — and that some of those levers are located not only in government offices, but within Ukrainian communities around the world.

Read more:

• Day two of the Davos summit — what's on the agenda
• $800 billion plan — what is known about the Ukraine-U.S. deal