US President Donald Trump arrived in Davos on Tuesday for the annual economic forum, where he was to give a speech just hours before his impeachment trial kicks into high gear in Washington.

Chinese President Xi Jinping presented himself as a champion of globalization Tuesday, lecturing the world elite in Davos on the dangers of protectionism and the futility of trade wars

The chief economist of the International Energy Agency said Friday there would be no "significant" changes to Saudi oil policy following the death of King Abdullah.

"With the death of the king, with the changes (in government), I do not expect any significant change in the oil policy of Saudi Arabia and I expect and hope that they will continue to be a stabilization factor in the oil markets," Fatih Birol told Agence France Presse on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The world's political and business elite gather for their annual meeting in the glitzy Swiss ski resort of Davos from Wednesday, with the shadow of recent attacks in France and ongoing global conflicts looming large.

French President Francois Hollande and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will be among the 2,500 movers and shakers thrashing out the burning issues of the day next to the frozen slopes, exactly two weeks after the deadly attacks on French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

Ukraine on Tuesday accused Russian forces of attacking its soldiers after crossing over into the ex-Soviet state's war-wrecked separatist east in violation of a September truce deal.

The charges -- met with initial silence by Moscow -- should add further tensions to difficult talks in Berlin on Wednesday aimed at stemming a spike in fighting that has already killed 4,800 people and driven a million from their homes.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to London on Thursday to host with his British counterpart a meeting of members of the coalition against the Islamic State group.

Kerry's spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the one-day talks with foreign ministers from about 20 countries, including Arab states, would focus on "our shared efforts to degrade and defeat ISIL," an acronym by which the group is known.

Turkey on Friday sought to reassure investors at the World Economic Forum in Davos over the health of the economy despite the Turkish lira hitting new lows on political turmoil.

Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan told the assembled global elite that despite recent volatility on the currency markets, investors were not rushing to pull their money out.

A trio of topless feminist activists set off pink flares and staged a noisy protest in the bitter cold outside the Davos forum for the global elite on Saturday.

Braving sub-zero temperatures in the Swiss ski resort, the women from the Ukrainian group Femen tried to break through a security fence before police guarding the World Economic Forum bundled them away.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati discussed with U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon on Friday the cooperation between Lebanon and international organizations on the Syrian refugees, his press office said.

Miqati met with Ban on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort Davos.

The Arab world takes center stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Friday with Jordan's King Abdullah II set to address global political and business leaders.

The premiers of Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Tunisia and the Palestinian Territories will discuss transformations in Arab countries, while U.S. Senator John McCain is taking part in a panel on the future of conflict-torn Syria.