Tech leaders to discuss Trump's return and its effect on EU and Ukraine
Donald Trump (Getty Images)
This week, Lisbon will host Europe’s largest annual tech conference, the Web Summit, where industry leaders and policymakers will weigh the pros and cons of Donald Trump's return to the White House, citing Reuters.
Top executives from companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Meta will join European officials in discussions on the future of artificial intelligence, social media regulation, and the potential impact of a second Trump presidency on the continent.
Trump previously promised he could end the war between Russia and Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office. A few days after Trump's re-election, two high-ranking Ukrainian government officials, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and his deputy, Alex Bornyakov, will take the stage to discuss how the country continues to innovate amid war.
John Adam, Chief Revenue Officer of the software development company Aimsoftpro, is among the attendees. About 70% of the company’s workforce remains in Ukraine, while the rest relocated to Europe after the war began in 2022.
"There’s mixed feelings because the Trump approach looks like it’s more geared towards the present lines of conflict, which is not an ideal scenario for Ukraine, and there’s a reluctance to accept that. At the same time, we would like this to have an endpoint," he said.
The X-factor
Although his presence is not expected, tech billionaire and staunch Trump supporter Elon Musk will be a recurring topic of discussion: from his role in Ukraine through the Starlink satellite service to his success with the space company SpaceX and his controversial management of the social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
One panel will discuss how Europe might develop a domestic competitor to SpaceX and explore questions around "What to do about social media."
Mark Weinstein, founder of the privacy-focused social media platform MeWe, who will speak alongside Benarroch on Wednesday, noted that while the EU aims to make online platforms curb harmful content, a Trump election might lead to decreased moderation.
"Historically, Trump has been highly critical of online moderation," he said. "To avoid political retribution, major social networks are likely to continue the trend of becoming significantly more permissive with content they allow on their platforms."
Notably, US President-elect Donald Trump has already held a conversation with Vladimir Putin. According to a source from The Washington Post, during the call, Trump advised Putin not to escalate the war in Ukraine and reminded him of Washington’s significant presence in Europe.
Joe Biden, until the end of his presidential term, will advocate for the need to support Ukraine, aiming to persuade Trump and Congress to continue this support.
