European countries breathed a sigh of relief on Thursday after US President Donald Trump dramatically softened his hardline stance on Greenland.
European leaders attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, viewed Trump’s latest remarks as a positive signal, coming just a day after he had threatened to impose tariffs on eight European countries. President Trump said he would no longer use force to seize Greenland and would work with NATO to develop a new framework for Arctic security.
However, many questions remain unanswered about what this new understanding on Greenland actually means. Meanwhile, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen made it clear that there could be no negotiations of any kind over her country’s sovereignty.
She said she had been informed that there was “no such proposal” from the US side regarding the use of force over Greenland or cooperation with NATO on Arctic security. In a statement, she said that Arctic security is a shared concern of the entire NATO alliance and that it was natural for discussions on the issue to take place between the US president and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
She also said she had been in continuous contact with Secretary General Rutte both before and after her meeting with President Trump in Davos. At another Davos event, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff revealed that President Trump was considering the idea of a “tariff-free zone” for Ukraine.
According to him, such a move could significantly support the reconstruction of industry and the economy in war-torn Ukraine. “The president has spoken about a tariff-free zone for Ukraine, which I think would be a game changer,” Witkoff said at a sideline event called the Ukraine Breakfast.
Witkoff made these remarks as part of the US administration’s efforts to pursue a peace agreement to end the Russia–Ukraine war, ahead of his planned visit to Moscow. He also said he planned to travel to the Abu Dhabi region, where working-level discussions would be held on military-to-military dialogue and prosperity-related issues.
Meanwhile, European representatives in Davos said Trump’s latest comments had helped ease tensions in the short term. A World Economic Forum session discussing the Ukraine war and Arctic security with NATO Secretary General Rutte was also closely watched.
Analysts say that while Trump’s shift on Greenland has brought a sense of immediate relief in Europe, clarity on its long-term implications has yet to emerge.
RSS/AP
