Former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger presented his map for peace between Ukraine and Russia during the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Speaking by video at the Davos summit, Mr Kissinger, who was secretary of state from 1969 to 1975 under presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, outlined his vision for ending the conflict in Ukraine.
Fifty years after his controversial Nobel Peace Prize and nearing 100, he is still trying to guide the world forward.
“I think, again, that a ceasefire along the lines of invasion is reasonable outcome of the military actions,” Mr Kissinger said.
The German-born pillar of American foreign policy said Ukraine had succeeded in defending itself and in uniting the West against Russia.
“I want to express my admiration for the President of Ukraine and for the heroic conduct of the Ukrainian people,” Mr Kissinger said.
Under his proposed terms. Russia would withdraw its forces from all territory that it has seized since February 24, when it began its full-scale invasion.
That would not include Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2015 and which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made clear he wants back as a basis for any future peace.
“Each side needs to consider for itself how the threat to human survival of the destructiveness of weapons, coupled with making them almost conscious in their application, can be dealt with,” Mr Kissinger said..
He said Ukraine has earned a right to join Nato if it so wished.
A central part of his peace framework, which he outlined last month in The Spectator, would be finding a way to allow Russia back into the European fold.
“We now hope that the courage of the period and the heroism of the period will be matched by a vision of a process which uses time as a step towards a strengthening of Europe and an opening to Russia, if it meets the required conditions to participate as a member in these European processes,” he said.
Mr Kissinger’s address comes just days after Reuters revealed that his 1973 Nobel Peace Prize was even more controversial than initially thought.
He was awarded the prize along with North Vietnam’s Le Duc Tho for their work on the Paris Peace Accords, which set the parameters for peace between the US and North Vietnam after nearly 20 years of war.
The accords failed to end the war and newly released information on the nomination of Mr Kissinger and Tho, who died in 1990, reveals that the committee knew the deal was unlikely to stop the fighting.
The conflict ended two years later in 1975 when the US chaotically withdrew from Saigon.
Tho refused to accept the award because of the continuing war, while Mr Kissinger repeatedly tried to return it.
The award and his involvement in US foreign policy towards the Vietnam War has long been a stain on his long resume.
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The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
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Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
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12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
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