This week, Lisbon will host Europe’s largest tech conference, Web Summit, where industry leaders and lawmakers will discuss various issues, including the potential return of Donald Trump to the White House. Senior executives from top companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Meta, along with high-ranking European officials, will engage in debates on artificial intelligence, social media regulation, and the possible implications of a second Trump presidency on Europe.
Trump has previously claimed that he could end the war between Ukraine and Russia within 24 hours of taking office. After his re-election, two senior Ukrainian officials, Alex Bornyakov and Mykhailo Fedorov, will take part in discussions about how Ukraine has continued to innovate despite the ongoing conflict. John Adam, chief revenue officer at software company Aimsoftpro, will also attend, noting that while the company’s workforce is still largely based in Ukraine, there are mixed feelings about Trump’s approach to the war, as his focus on current conflict lines may not align with Ukraine’s long-term goals.
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Though not attending, tech billionaire Elon Musk, a vocal Trump supporter, will remain a central topic. Discussions will focus on his role in Ukraine through the Starlink satellite service, his space exploration company SpaceX, and his controversial management of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Panels will explore how Europe might develop a competitor to SpaceX, as well as whether Musk’s leadership has harmed Twitter.
The conference will also feature a discussion on social media moderation, especially in light of Trump’s criticism of online content regulation. Mark Weinstein, founder of privacy-centric platform MeWe, will share his views on how social media networks may ease their moderation efforts if Trump returns to power, driven by a desire to avoid political retribution.
