General
Live. Greenland row shows ‘nothing has changed’ in Europe, Zelenskyy says
The Ukrainian president is addressing the World Economic Forum as the NATO-backed Greenland deal takes centre stage. Meanwhile, the leaders of the EU’s 27 member states are set to gather in Brussels later today for an informal emergency meeting on transatlantic relations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has delivered a blunt assessment of Europe’s security weakness, arguing the row over Greenland shows “nothing has changed”.
“Everyone turned their attention to Greenland, and it is clear most leaders are not sure what to do about it,” Zelenskyy said. “It seems like everyone is just waiting for America to cool down on this topic, hoping it will pass away. But what if it will not – what then?”
“Last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words, ‘Europe needs to know how to defend itself’. A year has passed, and nothing has changed.”
Zelenskyy arrived on Thursday morning as Europe breathed a sigh of relief following US President Donald Trump’s dramatic reversal over Greenland, which saw him abandon the tariffs that he threatened to impose on eight European nations who were resisting his demands to take control of Greenland.
Trump remained in Davos this morning to launch his “Board of Peace” initiative, which he says is aimed at resolving global conflicts.
So far, the UK and several European countries, including France, Italy, Norway and Sweden, have indicated they will not participate in the plan – at least for now.
Follow our live blog with the latest updates from our team in Davos, Brussels and across Europe:
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What to expect from today’s EU summit?
The 27 leaders of the European Union are expected in Brussels for an extraordinary meeting later today. Initially convened to coordinate the response to Donald Trump’s threats, the summit will now focus on a broader discussion about the state of EU-US relations following his sudden U-turn on Greenland.
The relation “remains sometimes volatile in some areas, and it is important for the leaders to come together and discuss how they understand this new reality, this is a new normal in this structural relation between Europe and the United States,” said a senior EU official.
“We have a strong and certainly more complex relation with the United States, where there are questions where we disagree,” the official added. “But it’s important that we keep and develop that cooperation. It’s complex, but we have to live with that complexity.”
Leaders will debate Greenland, Arctic security, trade, defence and the need to reinforce the EU’s strategic autonomy. Another issue that will be discussed is the invitation to join Trump’s Board of Peace, which most member states have received. There are “strong doubts” about the project due to its expansive mandate and possible incompatibility with the United Nations, the official noted. However, no “coordinated approach” is expected to emerge after today’s summit because Europeans are still engaging with their American partners to address the concerns and clarify the wording of the board’s founding charter.
16:51 GMT+1
There was ‘very strong support’ to trigger ACI if Trump had moved ahead with tariffs– senior diplomat
A senior EU diplomat told journalists today that the EU’s Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI) would likely have been triggered by member states had Trump made good on his now-withdrawn tariff threats.
“I noticed that in all the discussions we had — already on Sunday evening, and then even more clearly afterwards — there was very strong support if the tariff were imposed,” he said, opining that governments had toned down their willingness to use it in their public statements.
“Some member states and the Commission believe it is better not to say” that they want to deploy the ACI, the diplomat said. “It is a tactical consideration.”
Activating the ACI would require the backing of at least 55% of member states representing at least 65% of the EU population.
The diplomat also pushed back against the nicknaming of the ACI as the bloc’s “trade bazooka”.
“It is the opposite of a nuclear attack or a bazooka,” he said. “Those are things that are used only once, as a last resort, and are not meant to be used at all — and if they are, there is no going back.”
“The anti-coercion instrument is exactly the opposite. It can be used in an agile, reversible way, proportionately or not.”
EU holds back trade ‘bazooka’ to defuse Greenland tensions with US
European Union countries will not yet deploy the anti-coercion instrument (ACI) in response to Trump’s Greenland tariff threats, people familiar with the matte…
16:37 GMT+1
Today’s dialogue with US was not simple but positive, Zelenskyy said following Trump meeting
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that his meeting with Donald Trump “went well” while speaking on stage in Davos.
“The meeting is very important. We need, in our boat, this ship to peace, the United States,” he said.
He also praised his team, saying: “Our team worked well. This last mile has been very difficult. Today’s dialogue was not simple, but it was positive.”
Zelenskyy confirmed that the “first trilateral meeting” between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States will take place tomorrow in the United Arab Emirates.
“Ukraine is negotiating with full honesty, and that brings results. Russia must also be ready to finish this war, to stop this aggression,” he said.
Reflecting on previous discussions with the US, he said: “Our previous meeting with the President of the United States brought us air defense missiles. I hope America will continue to stand with us.”
16:16 GMT+1
Zelenskyy suggests Russian pressure blocked EU decision on reparations loan
During his speech in Davos, Zelenskyy referred to the reparations loan, the European Union’s proposal to turn the immobilised assets of the Russian Central Bank into a zero-interest line of credit to support Kyiv’s financial and military needs for 2026 and 2027. The plan had no precedent in modern history and raised multiple legal, technical and financial concerns. Belgium, which holds the bulk of the Russian assets, demanded airtight guarantees to endorse the proposal.
In the end, EU leaders agreed to raise €90 billion in joint debt to back Ukraine’s fight, without touching the Russian assets.
On Thursday, Zelenskyy said that Vladimir Putin was still trying to access the immobilised funds and “he’s having some success” at it.
“When the time came to use those assets to defend against Russian aggression, the decision was blocked,” Zelenskyy said. “Putin managed to stop Europe, unfortunately.”
Zelenskyy, however, expressed gratefulness for the EU’s decision to indefinitely immobilise the assets, taken in December last year, to ensure the money does not end up in Moscow’s pocket.
15:58 GMT+1
Zelenskyy: Europe is missing in action
The Ukrainian president has taken an unusually critical tone toward Europe today, arguing that the continent is hesitant, divided and focused on other things besides pushing for a ceasefire in Ukraine.
“Europe loves to discuss the future but avoids taking action today,” Zelenskyy told an audience in Davos. “Why can President Trump stop tankers from the shadow fleet and seize oil but Europe doesn’t?”
In another passage, he blamed Europe for turning its attention on Greenland, blocking the use of assets to defend Ukraine against Russian aggression and making little progress on building a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine.
“What’s missing: time or political will? Too often in Europe, something else is always more urgent than justice,” Zelenskyy said.
He also lashed out against Europe’s focus on security guarantees for post-war Ukraine, and complained that Europeans are constantly divided.
“Too often, the tone is against each other – leaders, parties, movements, and communities – rather than standing together to stop Russia, which brings the same destruction to everyone,” Zelenskyy said. “One of the biggest problems today, though it is not often discussed, is that some European leaders are from Europe, but not always for Europe.”
15:52 GMT+1
Zelenskyy warns Europe is still too weak: ‘Nothing has changed’
The Ukrainian president has been blunt in his assessment of Europe’s security weakness, pointing to the Greenland crisis as evidence that it is not ready to defend itself.
“Everyone turned their attention to Greenland, and it is clear most leaders are not sure what to do about it,” Zelenskyy said. “It seems like everyone is just waiting for America to cool down on this topic, hoping it will pass away. But what if it will not – what then?”
“Last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words, ‘Europe needs to know how to defend itself’. A year has passed, and nothing has changed.”
15:51 GMT+1
Zelenskyy on blackouts: ‘This is the face of Russia’
One key topic of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s speech is the plight that Ukrainians are suffering under Russia’s constant bombardment, which has drastically reduced the availability of electricity and forced millions to endure sub-zero temperatures without heating.
“This is the face of Russia, this is the face of this war,” Zelenskyy said during the Q&A session. “We have defensive systems, we are really creative, but it’s not enough, it’s still not enough.”
He then appealed to the US and Europe to step up their provision of air defence systems, which are critical for Kyiv to intercept daily barrages of Russian drones.
“Don’t forget about air defence, don’t forget about Patriots,” Zelenskyy said, referencing his meeting with Donald Trump earlier today. “So this is very important for us during this winter.”
Read more about the situation on the ground.
‘We need help,’ Ukraine energy provider CEO says during Kyiv blackout
Russia has repeatedly hit Ukrainian energy infrastructure throughout the nearly four-year war, but Kyiv says this winter has been the toughest yet.
15:39 GMT+1
Zelenskyy on Iran
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is hammering home the main theme of his speech: that European allies are not taking the lead in global security, and are instead leaving the initiative up to Washington.
Citing the example of the recent protests in Iran, he said: “Everyone is waiting to see what the United States will do, while the rest of the world offers nothing. Europe offers nothing and chooses not to engage.”
15:35 GMT+1
EU should press ahead with EU-US trade deal, senior official says
An EU senior official said on Thursday that the bloc should move forward with enforcing the EU-US trade deal agreed last summer, after the US withdrew its tariff threats linked to Greenland.
“There is an agreement that should be abided by. We must move forward,” the official said, adding: “The EU respects its agreements.”
The deal was clinched last summer by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump after weeks of trade tensions. Under the agreement, EU exports to the US would face 15% tariffs, while the bloc would cut its own tariffs on US industrial goods to 0%.
The agreement, however, still required approval by the European Parliament and was suspended indefinitely on Wednesday after lawmakers viewed Trump’s tariff threats over Greenland as a breach of the deal.
With a potential resolution now emerging on Greenland and Trump saying he would not impose the previously announced 10% tariffs on eight European countries, the senior official said it would be “expectable” for MEPs to relaunch the procedure to implement the deal.
But that outcome is not certain.
German MEP Bernd Lange (S&D), who chairs the Parliament’s trade committee, said on X on Thursday: “Hardly any details are known yet about the proposed Greenland deal. But we need them in order to decide how to proceed with the implementation of the EU-US trade deal.”
Lange added that lawmakers would discuss the issue next Monday and assess “the way forward”.
16:18 GMT+1
Zelenskyy: “Europe needs to know how to defend itself”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is using his speech to the WEF to warn that Europe is not taking self-defence against Russia seriously, and that the events of recent days show that the backstop of US protection cannot be taken for granted. Here’s an excerpt from his remarks:
“Europe relies only on the belief that if danger comes, NATO will act, but no-one has really seen the alliance in action.”
“If Putin decides to take Lithuania or strike Poland, who will respond? Right now, NATO exists thanks to the belief that the United States will act, that it will not stand aside and will help. But what if it doesn’t?”
“This question is everywhere, in the minds of every European leader. Some are trying to get closer to President Trump; some are hoping the problem will disappear.”
“Europe needs to know how to defend itself. And if you send 30 or 40 soldiers to Greenland, what is that for? What message does it send? What’s the message to Putin, to China? And even more importantly, what message does it send to Denmark, your close ally?”
“You either declare that European bases will protect the region from Russia and China and establish those bases, or you risk not being taken seriously, because 30 or 40 soldiers will not protect anything.”
14:52 GMT+1
Lutnick: US ‘remains committed’ to EU-US trade deal
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick appears to be trying to repair his image among European leaders after sparking strong backlash with his remarks at the World Economic Forum this week.
Posting a photo of himself smiling in a traditional Swiss restaurant alongside EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, Lutnick wrote on X that “despite the noise and headlines” the US “remains committed to implementing the US–EU trade agreement” and “will always value our deep ties with our friends in Europe”.
Lutnick’s negative comments about Europe earlier in the week angered several Davos attendees. The Financial Times reported that ECB President Christine Lagarde walked out of a dinner while he was delivering a critical speech.
14:31 GMT+1
‘No one should doubt our readiness’ in the Arctic – NATO Commander
NATO’s readiness in the High North is in good shape thanks to the “tremendous capabilities” of northern allies, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe said on Thursday.
“No one should doubt our readiness” in the Arctic, General Alexus G. Grynkewich told reporters during a press conference.
“The Swedes, the Finns, all the northern countries, Norway, Denmark, have tremendous capabilities that they bring to bear every single day up there,” he added, noting that the militaries of the alliance’s two newest allies, Finland and Sweden, are “uniquely positioned to strengthen NATO’s northern flank and Arctic security”.
In terms of capabilities needed to secure the region further, he said that the Alliance needs to be more forward-looking.
“Some of the things that we need to do in the Arctic to enhance our security are long lead items, including, you know, installation of new sensors and detection capabilities,” Grynkewich said.
14:12 GMT+1
‘No planning yet’ for a NATO Arctic mission
NATO’S Supreme Allied Commander, SACEUR, told the same press conference that the alliance has “done no planning yet” on a potential Arctic mission.
Talks of a possible mission first started after Donald Trump ramped up his expansionist rhetoric over Greenland, the notion being that he might be appeased with a demonstration that the alliance takes the security of the High North and Arctic seriously.
“We’ve never received political guidance to move out. We’re aware of discussions about this, of course, and therefore we’re doing some thinking about how we would organise for it,” General Alexus G. Grynkewich told reporters. “But no, no planning has started yet,” he said.
He did flag that several NATO exercises are planned in the coming months in the Arctic, although none in Greenland specifically.
France requested on Wednesday that NATO look into a joint exercises on the sprawling island, adding that it would be ready to contribute.
14:08 GMT+1
European Parliament condemns US visa ban on former Commissioner Breton
The leaders of the European Parliament’s political groups have adopted a joint statement condemning the US’s imposition of a visa ban on former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton and four other European citizens.
The US State Department imposed the ban last December, accusing the targets of forcing American social media platforms to censor users and their viewpoints.
“The European Parliament firmly rejects the visa ban imposed by the US authorities on former Commissioner [Thierry] Breton, which is solely motivated due to his role in the development and implementation of the Digital Services Act, a law proposed by the European Commission and adopted by the co-legislators to protect users online”, the statement adopted today reads.
According to the Parliament, this measure is “an unacceptable personalisation of EU policy, a dangerous precedent for the independence of the European Institutions and an attack on the EU’s regulatory sovereignty.”
14:07 GMT+1
NATO planners ‘waiting for direction’ on US-Denmark Greenland framework
NATO’s Military Committee is “still waiting for direction” regarding a framework that was agreed on Wednesday between the US and Denmark for Greenland, the chair of the committee told journalists just now.
“We’re still at the very early stage,” Admiral Guiseppe Cavo Dragone told reporters after a Military Committee in Chiefs of Defence Session at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
Once they receive guidance, he added, “we will start doing our business, which is military planning”.
14:07 GMT+1
Belgium’s foreign affairs minister: We have “NOT” joined Trump’s Board of Peace
Belgium’s foreign affairs minister Maxime Prévot took to X to deny an earlier announcement that Belgium might join Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” plan, which aims at solving global conflicts.
Belgium “has NOT” signed the charter, Prévot wrote.
“We wish for a common and coordinated European response. As many European countries, we have reservations to the proposal.”
Most other European countries, including France, the UK, Italy and Norway, have not signed up to the board.
14:04 GMT+1
Zelenskyy-Trump meeting has started
Euronews correspondent Sasha Vakulina reports from Davos that the Ukrainian delegation led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived to start a bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump.
Zelenskyy travelled to the World Economic Forum at short notice to meet Trump for further talks on ending the war. Earlier today, Trump said a settlement in Ukraine is coming “soon”.
Zelenskyy is expected to make a speech and also participate in a panel discussion about Ukraine’s post-war recovery. He will also meet energy company representatives.
12:50 GMT+1
Rutte: US ownership of Greenland didn’t come up in talks with Trump
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has provided more details about the negotiations that led to the “framework” deal over Greenland that convinced Donald Trump to withdraw his controversial tariff threat against eight European countries.
“I don’t think there’s a U-turn,” Rutte told Sky News in an interview, defending Trump’s focus on the Arctic region. “Over the years, he and I had discussions on this. And yesterday, we discussed how we can now tackle this once and for all, making sure the Russians and the Chinese (don’t) gain access to the Arctic region – Greenland, but also the wider Arctic, including the US with Alaska.”
Rutte said it was “clear” for both him and Trump that NATO had a role to play and that these discussions should build on the dialogue launched last week by Danish, Greenlandic and American officials.
Asked if Trump’s idea to own Greenland had been taken off the table, Rutte replied: “We didn’t discuss it. It didn’t come up last night.”
Rutte then insisted the matter of US ownership “did not come up anymore” and underlined the common goal of security. “He (Trump) is the leader of the free world,” he said. “If he’s worried about something, we’d better listen because he might’ve found something that is not good, and that is the issue of Russians and Chinese getting more access (in the Arctic) because these sea lanes are opening up.”
Rutte also praised Trump for “reinvigorating” NATO at last year’s summit, when allies agreed to spend 5% of their GDP on defence, and for focusing the alliance on securing the Arctic against Russia and China. “That is what we discussed. How to do that. How to make it practicable, zoning out bits of Greenland,” he said.
Asked about the European backlash triggered by Trump’s tariff threat, Rutte struck a conciliatory tone and urged allies to ramp up their defence spending and help bring Russia’s war on Ukraine to an end.
“Let’s not drop the ball on Ukraine because we’re so busy with other stuff,” Rutte said. “On Ukraine, they need to make sure they have what they need in terms of military support to sustain the fight.”
Credit: Associated Press.
12:44 GMT+1
Trump: ‘I’m a real estate person at heart, and it’s all about location’
Donald Trump said the Gaza strip is a “great location” and that the Board of Peace will be crucial to change living standards for its people.
“Look at this location on the sea, look at these beautiful pieces of property. What it could be for so many people, it’ll be so great, people that are living so poorly are going to be living so well,” Trump said.
“We put together a team that’s outstanding, a team that’s done it before, a team that I think has done tougher jobs,” Trump said, commenting on the rollout of the Board of Peace.
Trump said that “many others have signed up (to the Board of Peace)” because it “really will be important. This is not going to be a waste of time. We waste so much time on things that never happened. This will happen. And it’s already happening.”
Aleksandar Brezar has more here.
Trump launches ‘Board of Peace’ at Davos signing ceremony
The board originated in the US president’s 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan endorsed by the UN Security Council, but has expanded far beyond its initial mandate.
12:39 GMT+1
Marco Rubio says Gaza remains board’s primary focus
US Secretary of state Marco Rubio made clear in Davos that the focus of Trump’s “Board of Peace” initiative would be on Gaza, in an attempt to brush off criticism from many European countries that the board’s stated aims are too broad.
“Now we have this board of Peace whose – I believe – possibilities are endless, obviously with a focus first and foremost on making sure that this peace deal in Gaza becomes enduring,” he said.
Rubio also stated that the initiative reflected “a new era” and should serve as a model to the rest of the world “of what is possible.”
Rubio spoke after Trump during the signing ceremony of the Board of Peace charter. The board’s signatories include the leaders of Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Kosovo and Hungary, among others.
12:24 GMT+1
‘The page is turning,’ says Gaza High Representative for the Board of Peace
Gaza High Representative for the Board of Peace Nickolay Mladenov said the “page is turning” for Gazans, Palestinians and Israelis, and that a “successful turn” will depend on “all of us”.
“Who would have thought two years ago that we would be sitting here with this group of countries with this leadership giving the people of Gaza a new chance?” Mladenov said.
The Bulgarian diplomat also hailed the “great group of countries” joining the board, and said there are “more to come”.
Mladenov urged everyone in the room and watching the Davos meeting remotely to “put their fears and concerns away” and to “stop listening to rumours and gossip”.
12:14 GMT+1
Markets bounce back after Greenland tensions defused
Global stock markets rallied on Thursday as US President Donald Trump rolled back tariff threats linked to Greenland.
Trump said he had agreed the “framework of a future deal” on Greenland after meeting with Mark Rutte, NATO’s secretary-general, claiming he would not use military force to seize the island from Denmark, and also dropping plans to impose extra tariffs on several European countries from 1 February.
Details of the future deal are scarce, although investors were visibly cheered by the de-escalation.
Read the full story below.
Markets rally and safe havens fall as Trump touts Greenland deal
Global markets rebounded after the US president shifted his stance on the Arctic island, claiming that a deal is in the works.
11:50 GMT+1
Trump: Spain taking a “free ride” in NATO
At the inauguration speech of the Board of Peace, Trump repeated his claim to have ended eight wars in the first year of his second presidency.
“One year ago, the war was on fire; things are calming down,” Trump said.
Talking about NATO, the US President hailed allies who have increased their military spending, but also sent a warning to Spain.
“Spain wants a free ride, I have to talk to them,” Trump said.
In June, Spain asked for an opt-out from NATO’s increased military spending target. In October, Trump said Spain should be expelled from NATO if it did not meet the new spending criteria.
11:50 GMT+1
Another EU Country joins the Board of Peace
Bulgaria has become the second country EU country to join the Board of Peace, after Hungary.
Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, who leads the conservative party GERB, appeared onstage at the signing ceremony alongside Donald Trump and more than 30 representatives of other governments.
11:29 GMT+1
Donald Trump begins Board of Peace event
Donald Trump is addressing a ceremony launching the Board of Peace, with around 35 governments already signing up to join – among them Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar and Egypt, and NATO members Turkiye and Hungary.
The body is ostensibly meant to resolve international conflicts, with a billion-dollar entry fee for permanent membership.
11:39 GMT+1
Hungary the first EU country to join Trump’s Board of Peace
Hungary was the first member state to have accepted former President Trump’s invitation to join his “Board of Peace” initiative, which aims to address global conflicts.
Last Sunday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who attended the board’s launch ceremony in Davos today, said that Trump’s invitation signalled that Hungary’s “efforts for peace are being recognised.”
“President Trump has invited us to participate in the work of the Peace Council as founding members. We have, of course, accepted this honourable invitation,” Orbán stated.
The Hungarian government has not yet clarified whether it will pay the $1 billion contribution that guarantees permanent membership. Earlier, the White House noted that countries could pay the $1 billion fee to demonstrate a “deep commitment,” but it was not mandatory.
Besides Hungary, Belarus and Türkiye have joined the board, while France, Sweden, Slovenia, and Norway declined invitations. Germany and the European Union have not committed.
10:54 GMT+1
Merz: “Open markets and trade opportunities” are the answer to US “isolationism and protectionism”
In his speech, the German chancellor said the EU’s agenda was clear: “Europe must be the antithesis of state-sponsored unfair trade practices, raw-material protectionism, technology bans and arbitrary tariffs.”
He underlined the progress made by the EU in consolidating trade partnerships, notably with the Mercosur bloc. However, he criticised the European Parliament’s decision to freeze the EU-Mercosur deal by referring it to the EU Court of Justice.
“We will not be stopped,” he added.
Merz also voiced optimism about the EU signing new trade agreements with Mexico and Indonesia, and soon India. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is due to travel to New Delhi to sign what she has described as a “historic trade agreement” and “the mother of all deals”.
EU-Mercosur trade deal referred to Court of Justice
After clearing major political hurdles after more than two decades, the mammoth trade deal now faces further delay pending a judicial verdict. #EuropeNews
11:04 GMT+1
Trump to deliver Board of Peace speech
Our correspondent Sasha Vakulina is in the room where Donald Trump will deliver a speech imminently. He is expected to elaborate on his plan for the so-called Board of Peace, originally meant to manage Gaza’s post-war recovery.
There was no Board of Peace ceremony originally on the WEF agenda, and the event was only announced today at 8:20 CET.
Trump is now repositioning the organisation as a major global alliance, with a $1 billion permanent membership fee. The proposal has rattled Europeans, and only one EU leader says they will be accepting Trump’s invitation to join: Viktor Orbán, reliably the US president’s closest ally in the bloc. However, he has not yet committed to paying the fee.
10:42 GMT+1
UK becomes latest country to snub Trump’s Board of Peace
Speaking to the BBC from Davos, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said her country will not yet be accepting an invitation to join the Trump-led Board of Peace because of concerns about Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s possible participation.
Cooper described the board’s structure as a “legal treaty that raises much broader issues” than the original stated aim of end the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and managing the devastated enclave’s recovery.
Several other European countries, including France, Italy, Norway and Sweden, have already indicated that they will not sign up to Trump’s plan, at least not yet.
10:40 GMT+1
‘Germany needs to regain economic strength to lead the EU’ – Merz
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in his speech that Germany has to regain its economic strength for Europe to be a key player in global politics once again.
“Germany can only lead the way in Europe if we are economically strong,” Merz insisted.
Germany’s policies need to be “exceptionally ambitious and courageous,” he said, and progress needs to be made on several fronts – all while maintaining support for Ukraine.
“We want to reduce dependencies that currently make us vulnerable, we want to ensure that our economy can tap into its full potential,” Merz said. “This can only work if we work together as a European Union.”
10:39 GMT+1
Belgian king and PM held secret talks with Trump last night
Belgium’s King Philippe and Prime Minister Bart De Wever met with Donald Trump in Davos on Wednesday evening, it has emerged.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was also present at the meeting, according to De Wever’s office. Both sides agreed not to disclose any details of the conversation.
“We won’t find out anything about it either. At the request of the United States, that conversation will be kept confidential,” journalist Michaël Van Droogenbroeck told Het Journaal.
10:39 GMT+1
‘There is no room for isolationism and protectionism,’ Merz said
Merz told a Davos audience that boosting military capabilities means “to assert our sovereignty” and “strengthen our defence capabilities.”
“There is no room for isolationism and protectionism, ” Merz said. “We’re talking about strategically coordinated ties worldwide.”
“We want to be the alliance offering open markets and trade opportunities, and we want to strengthen the rules for fair trade. The anti-thesis for unfair trade, raw material protectionism, and arbitrary tariffs need to be replaced by rules that need to be respected by trading partners, and the EU is making great progress on this,” Merz said, referring to the latest Mercosur trade deal and the upcoming EU-India deal.
10:24 GMT+1
Merz calls Europe to act ‘resolutely and sovereignly’ and not give up NATO
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz Merz called on Europe to stand together “resolutely and sovereignly” in this “new age of great powers,” adding that “we should not give up on NATO.”
It is now important, he said, to “repair the trust” on which NATO is built as it is the US “strongest competitive advantage.”
“Democracies do not have subordinates, they have allies and trusted friends,” he added.
10:21 GMT+1
Mark Rutte backs Trump on China and Russia in Greenland
At a meeting on the sidelines of the WEF last night, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte agreed with Donald Trump’s insistence that the Arctic and Greenland “must be defended” from China and Russia.
“Trump is right. We have to do more there. We have to protect the Arctic against Russian and Chinese influence,” said Rutte.
10:08 GMT+1
Germany’s Chancellor calls Trump speech in Davos ‘right way to go’
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he welcomed Trump’s remarks on Greenland in Davos yesterday, calling them “the right way to go,” because “any threat to acquire European territory would be unacceptable.”
In addition, Trump’s threats on new tariffs would also “undermine the foundations of transatlantic relations,” Merz said.
9:53 GMT+1
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has now taken the stage
Germany was among the countries recently targeted by threats from Donald Trump, who had floated the idea of imposing a 10% tariff after Berlin expressed support for Denmark over Greenland.
Merz is now expected to outline Germany’s position on defence spending and its relationship with the United States and the future of NATO.
Europe wants to ‘avoid escalation’ with US over Greenland, says Merz
European leaders are closing ranks in response to Donald Trump’s threat of additional tariffs to force the acquisition of Greenland. German Chancellor Friedric…
9:52 GMT+1
Italy won’t sign Trump’s “Board of Peace” initiative
Italy will not join Trump’s “Board of Peace” initiative. At least not for now.
The country’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, told Italy’s landmark TV show “Porta a Porta” that Italy was “open, willing and interested” in Trump’s proposal, which is aimed at resolving global conflicts.
But there is an issue of “constitutional incompatibility” that “does not allow us to sign immediately.”
“We need more time,” she added.
9:47 GMT+1
Putin to pay $1 billion to join ‘Board of Peace’, suggests using frozen assets held in the US
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow is prepared to contribute $1 billion to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace,” which would make Russia a permanent member.
He added that the funds could come from Russian assets frozen by the United States under the previous administration.
Putin said the remaining frozen assets held in the U.S. could be used to help rebuild areas damaged by fighting following a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, noting that discussions on the matter are underway with the U.S. administration.
9:40 GMT+1
Italian PM Giorgia Meloni urges allies to ‘dialogue’
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni welcomed Trump’s announcement of the tariff suspension scheduled for 1 February against Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden.
“As Italy has always maintained, it is essential to continue fostering dialogue between allied nations,” said Meloni.
Accolgo con favore l’annuncio del Presidente Trump di sospendere l’imposizione dei dazi prevista per il 1° febbraio nei confronti di alcuni Stati europei.
Come l’Italia ha sempre sostenuto, è fondamentale continuare a favorire il dialogo tra Nazioni alleate.
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) January 21, 2026
9:38 GMT+1
‘We’ve de-escalated, but obviously it’s not over yet,’ says Finnish President
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on Wednesday evening that an American military seizure or takeover of Greenland is off the table as he laid out the three previously foreseen scenarios — the good, the bad, and the ugly.
“The good would be to find an off-ramp and create a process to improve Arctic security through NATO. The bad one would be to have a tariff war continue, and the ugly one would have been military intervention,” said Stubb.
“We’ve now de-escalated, but obviously it’s not over yet.”
9:25 GMT+1
‘The EU cannot be subjected to any kind of neo-colonial behaviour,’ former Commission President said to Euronews
Speaking on Euronews’ flagship programme Europe Today, Jean-Claude Juncker urged the European Union to take a far more assertive stance towards the United States, insisting that Europe must show it is ready to defend its own interests.
Asked what he would do if he were still Commission president, Juncker said he would confront Donald Trump directly to make clear that “the European Union cannot be subjected to any kind of neo-colonial behaviour”.
“The EU is not a slave of the United States of America,” Juncker said, adding that while the US president is aware of this, “he doesn’t take this into account, at least not publicly”.
Commenting on Trump’s more than one-hour speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Juncker said it was “less aggressive” than he had expected, but still “not reassuring”. Although the US president ruled out a military attack on Greenland, he reaffirmed his desire to take control of the territory through negotiations, referring to it as a “giant piece of ice”.
Now an adviser to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Juncker warned that such threats could have serious consequences for the transatlantic relationship. “If a NATO ally attacks or threatens another NATO ally, this inaugurates a process at the end of which we could witness a breakdown of NATO,” he said.
Juncker: EU should use all available tools to ‘deeply harm US economy’
Jean-Claude Juncker, who led the European Commission during the first Trump administration, told Euronews that the EU “cannot be submitted to the neo-colonial…
9:24 GMT+1
Zelensky to join world leaders in Davos
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is on his way to Davos to hold talks with President Trump.
The two leaders are set to meet in the Alps on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) ahead of planned visits to Moscow by White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who are scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Both discussions will center on President Trump’s proposed peace plan for Ukraine.
10:58 GMT+1
Eyes on Davos and Brussels
Good morning and welcome to Euronews’ live updates from Davos and Brussels on the latest developments in Greenland.
As the sun rises over Davos, Switzerland, Euronews takes a look at what to watch today at the World Economic Forum:
- 09:00 – Conversation with Israeli President Isaac Herzog
- 09:30 – Speech by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz
- 12:30 – Conversation with Finnish President Alexander Stubb
In Brussels, European heads of state and government will gather for a special European Council, where Greenland is expected to be high on the agenda. Leaders will arrive from 17:30, with discussions due to begin at 19:00.
We will keep you updated throughout the day with the latest statements, announcements and reactions from the Davos World Economic Forum and beyond.
