Readers of a UK media outlet have reacted angrily to the news about a visit by Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenskaya to the 2023 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.
“Stop calling her 'first lady'. She is the Clown's Wife,” one user wrote, accusing Zelenskaya of “shopping again with UK taxpayers’ money.”
They were echoed by another web surfer, who berated “The new Tsars, the Zelenksis” for “spending UK taxpayers money on a shopping trip whilst going to Davos to raise more money.”
"WEF annual membership $52,000. Ticket to Davos $19,000 + VAT. Plus travel and expenses. I wonder where all this money is coming from. Oh, hang on.... British taxpayers funding their lavish lifestyles,” a separate message read.
The view was shared by many other users, who wrote that “she's there to buy his and her watches” and “she is there for shopping, a bit of jewelry, and chocolate [to purchase].”
The remarks came after the media outlet reported that Zelenskaya “arrived in Switzerland to rally support for Ukraine from the global elite at the Davos summit.”
The main issues on the agenda of the Davos forum will be energy and food crises, high global inflation, investments in emerging technologies, as well as current geopolitical risks for the world's economy. High-ranking officials from across the globe, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, South Korean President President Yoon Suk Yeol, Colombian leader Gustavo Petro, and others are expected to take part in the event.
A delegation from Russia will not participate in the meeting for the second year in a row since the organizers decided not to invite Russian representatives in response to Moscow's ongoing military operation in Ukraine.