Tensions between Donald Trump and Nato have continued to escalate despite the appearance of a truce over Greenland.
The US president accused European soldiers of avoiding the front lines during the war in Afghanistan.
Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte had confronted Mr Trump on his claims that Nato wouldn’t “be there for us if we gave them a call”.
“Let me tell you, they will – and they did in Afghanistan” Rutte insisted at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday.
Trump shrugged off the comments in an interview with Fox, saying: “We've never needed them. They'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan... and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines.”
Rutte held discussions with Trump on Wednesday over the future of Greenland, which belongs to Denmark, following repeated threats by Washington to seize it using force.
Details of the deal have not been released but reports claim it could lead to greater US freedom to build on the island, modelled on Britain’s overseas arrangements.
Read MoreNo military force on Greenland but Trump’s biggest threat came in what he didn’t say at Davos
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Trump-Greenland latest: Key points
- Trump claims European troops avoided Afghanistan frontline
- I've secured total access to Greenland, US president claims
- Trump deal 'would give US sovereign claim to military bases' on Greenland
- US wants Greenland's minerals, spokesman says
- Trump officially launches controversial ‘Board of Peace’ for Gaza in Davos ceremony
Watch: Trump dodges Greenland deal questions
01:00 , Jane Dalton Trump dodges questions on Greenland ‘deal’
Opinion: The madness isn’t over yet
00:01 , Jane DaltonTrump whims are turning into demands very quickly these days, writes Anne McElvoy:
Yes, Trump crumpled – I was there to witness it – but the madness isn’t over yet
Trump believes Denmark 'likes' proposed Greenland deal
23:40 , Tara CobhamWhite House correspondent Andrew Feinberg reports:
Donald Trump believes Denmark “likes” the Greenland framework deal that has been proposed.
When asked if Denmark was on board with his plans, the US president said: “I think everyone likes it. I'll let you know in about two weeks.”
US 'can do anything we want', says Trump after negotiations over Greenland deal
23:37 , Tara CobhamWhite House correspondent Andrew Feinberg reports:
Donald Trump has said that the US “can do anything we want” after negotiations over the Greenland framework deal.
Speaking of the potential deal, the US president told reporters: “It was really a negotiation, but it's infinity. The time limit is infinity, meaning there is no time limit. It's forever. You know, you're about 99 years, 50 years. It's forever. That was discussed.
“We can do anything we want, we can do military, we can do anything we want, and it's being negotiated, and let's see what happens. I think it'll be good.”
Greenland sovereignty non-negotiable, says leader
23:00 , Jane DaltonLeaders of Denmark and Greenland have insisted that the island's sovereignty is non-negotiable after US president Donald Trump said he had agreed on a framework with Nato granting the US "total access" to the island.
Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen voiced guarded relief at Trump’s scrapping of his tariffs plan, but he said he knew no concrete details of the agreement Trump cited.
“I don't know what there is in the agreement, or the deal about my country," he told reporters.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said security in the Arctic was a matter for all of Nato, and it was "good and natural" that it be discussed between the US president and Nato chief Mark Rutte.
She wrote that "we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty" and added: "I have been informed that this has not been the case."
EU can resume work on trade deal with US now, says parliament boss
22:00 , Jane DaltonThe European Union is likely to resume work on a trade deal with the United States after US president Donald Trump took back a tariff threat over his attempt to acquire Greenland, the European Parliament's president has said.
"We are happy to see that the escalation is off the table for now," Roberta Metsola said.
"This means that we can continue at this stage our discussions internally on the EU-US trade deal, which had been paused pending the impending tariff threat."
The European Parliament this week suspended work on the trade deal because of Trump's new tariff threats.
The EU assembly has been debating legislative proposals to remove many EU import duties on US goods.
This week made one thing urgent: the need for a stronger and more autonomous Europe.
— Roberta Metsola (@EP_President) January 22, 2026
While cooler heads have prevailed, our position on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Denmark and Greenland has not budged.@Europarl_EN will continue to assess the EU-US trade deal… pic.twitter.com/NpZfUUC3VN
Nato could create 'Arctic sentry' under new deal
21:30 , Jane DaltonThe detail of the US agreement on Greenland could involve creating a significant new Nato mission in the Arctic, dubbed an “Arctic sentry”, according to top officials.
They told The New York Times the deal would also mean updating a pact signed between Denmark and the United States in 1951.
Nato officials have discussed expanding that pact to effectively create pockets of American soil in the territory.
Such an agreement would be likely to be modelled on a “sovereign base area” agreement in Cyprus, where Britain’s military bases are regarded as British territory, the news outlet says.
Non-Nato countries, particularly Russia and China, would be barred from obtaining rights to mine the rare-earth minerals under Greenland.
I've secured total access to Greenland, Trump claims
20:59 , Jane DaltonRecap: US president Donald Trump has said he has secured total and permanent US access to Greenland in a deal with Nato.
But the details of any agreement were unclear and Denmark insisted its sovereignty over the island was not up for discussion.
Mr Trump told Fox Business Network on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, that the “framework” for a deal involving Greenland and the Arctic would give the US “total access”.
“It’s really being negotiated now, the details of it. But essentially it’s total access,” Trump said, claiming the access was permanent.
“There’s no end, there’s no time limit.”
Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said he was still in the dark on many aspects.
"I don't know what there is in the agreement, or the deal, about my country," he said in the capital Nuuk.
"We are ready to discuss a lot of things and we are ready to negotiate a better partnership and so on. But sovereignty is a red line," he added, when asked about reports that Mr Trump was seeking control of areas around US military bases in Greenland as part of a wider deal.
Trump deal 'would give US sovereign claim to military bases' on Greenland
20:27 , Jane DaltonDonald Trump’s potential deal - or compromise - over Greenland involves increasing Nato’s presence in the Arctic, giving America a sovereign claim to military bases on Greenland territory and blocking adversaries from mining the island’s minerals, it’s been reported.
The New York Times says those plans, described by eight top Western security and diplomatic officials, have yet to be finalised.
Until now, the contents of the deal have remained secret.
The news outlet said the agreement would stop short of Mr Trump’s goal of transferring ownership of all of Greenland to the United States.
US wants Greenland's minerals, spokesman says
20:00 , Jane DaltonA US administration spokesman has admitted Donald Trump’s push to take over Greenland is at least in part about rare earth minerals.
Tommy Pigott, State Department spokesman, told Fox News: “Ultimately, this is about access. This is about access for the United States. It's about access from a military perspective. It's about access from a perspective in order to from [sic] those critical minerals.
“These are part of all the concerns that President Trump laid out, really, from the beginning of this administration, talking about those critical minerals, talking about the encroachment of our adversaries on Greenland, talking about the defence of Greenland, the Nato alliance, our defence modern threats, the Arctic.”
He said President Trump was identifying opportunities that could “make us all prosperous”.
Mr Trump posted the clip on Truth Social.
EU must be alert to threats, Macron says
19:30 , Jane DaltonThe European Union must remain vigilant and ready to respond firmly in case of new threats, French president Emmanuel Macron said in Brussels ahead of an emergency EU leaders summit to discuss the Greenland situation.
"We remain extremely vigilant and ready to use the instruments at our disposal should we find ourselves the target of threats again," Mr Macron said.
Greenland deal will be 'amazing' for US, Trump claims
18:53 , Jane DaltonThe Greenland deal will be amazing for the US, Donald Trump has claimed.
As he flew back to Washington, the president posted about it on his Truth Social platform but failed to give details.
“Heading back to DC. It was an incredible time in Davos. The Greenland structure is being worked on, and will be amazing for the USA, and the Board of Peace is something that the World has never seen before — Very special. So many good things happening!” he wrote.
North European investors wary of US 'risks'
18:29 , ReutersBig Northern European investors are increasingly wary of the risks of holding US assets given geopolitical tensions, pensions chiefs say, a sign of a broadening shift away from the world's biggest financial market.
A top investment adviser, three pension funds and a leading industry body said the risk premium attached to holding US assets had also gone up in part because of worries about the nation's finances.
Pension industry leaders and investment chiefs from Finland, Sweden and Denmark told Reuters they viewed US foreign policy uncertainty and White House debt levels as a threat to the dollar, US Treasuries and stocks.
The Nordic region is home to some of Europe's biggest pension funds by assets.
EU-US row benefits our enemies, says EU foreign chief
18:09 , Jane DaltonThe relationship between the United States and the European Union has "taken a big blow" in the past week, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said before an emergency council of the bloc's leaders.
"Disagreements that allies have between them like Europe and America are just benefiting our adversaries who are looking and enjoying the view," she said.
Trump claims European troops avoided Afghanistan frontline
16:55 , Sam RkainaThe US president has continued his war of words against Nato and Europe, with a jab over troop deployment in Afghanistan.
Donald Trump claimed European soldiers stayed away from the frontline during the war in an interview with Fox News Thursday.
“We've never needed them,” he said.
“They'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan... and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the frontlines.”
Trump’s latest jibe was in response to comments from Nato secretary general Mark Rutte, who had reminded the president that Nato lost one soldier for every two killed in Afghanistan.
What is in Trump’s Greenland ‘deal’ – and what is missing?
16:48 , Maira ButtDonald Trump claims to have hashed out the “framework” of a future deal on Greenland following weeks of threats to annex the Danish territory.
The US president emerged from talks with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte on Wednesday confident that a deal was in sight and that all parties were happy with it.
Denmark said it was open to dialogue so long as its borders are respected – but have notably not endorsed any aspects of the agreement briefed to the media or discussed publicly by Mr Rutte.
James C Reynolds reports:
What is in Trump’s Greenland ‘deal’ – and what is missing?
Starmer: World leaders can now ‘get on with the job’ of protecting Greenland
16:20 , Maira ButtThe Independent’s political reporter Athena Stavrou reports:
British prime minister Keir Starmer has said world leaders can now “get on with the job” of protecting Greenland after Donald Trump dropped his tariff threats.
The prime minister and his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen met at Chequers, a day after the US president dropped tariff threats against European nations opposed to his ambitions to take over the mineral-rich island.
Speaking after the meeting, Sir Keir told broadcasters: “Today, we actually start the hard work of making sure that security in the Arctic is enhanced.”
He added: “What’s now happened is good in the sense the threat of tariffs has gone, and now we can get on with the job of rolling up our sleeves and answering the question, how do we improve security in the Arctic?”
Nato has 'no mandate' to make decisions about Greenland, says member of territory's parliament
15:59 , Maira ButtJames C Reynolds reports:
Aaja Chemnitz, a Greenlandic member of parliament, told The Independent: "Nato has no mandate to make deals about Greenland.
"In Greenland, we have a saying, which is: ‘Nothing about us without us’. This applies to Nato matters as well.
"All decisions concerning Greenland are to be decided by Naalakkersuisut, government of Greenland."
Watch: Greenlanders remain anxious despite Trump ruling out taking territory by force
15:20 , Maira ButtNo 10 fails to rule out Denmark giving up sovereignty over Greenland
15:00 , Maira ButtThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Downing Street did not rule out Denmark giving up sovereignty over Greenland, saying issues of sovereignty are a “matter for the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland.”
The UK prime minister's spokesperson also insisted “serious behind the scenes diplomacy has got us to this place” when asked about the UK’s role in calming the Greenland dispute.
“The UK has been in constant communication with the US administration in Davos and working closely with the Nato secretary-general”, the official added.
Trump fact-checked: Where did the claim China sells windmills to 'stupid people' come from?
14:40 , Maira ButtOn the Ground: Uncertainty lingers for Greenlanders following Trump Davos speech: ‘We don’t sleep well’
14:20 , Maira ButtOn Wednesday evening downtown Nuuk was busy with Greenlanders commuting home, picking children up from school and visiting local supermarkets. Yet as residents continued with daily life, there lingered an ever-present cloud of anxiety after Donald Trump doubled down on his threats to annex Greenland in a speech in front of world leaders at Davos.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum yesterday, the US president said that he would not use military force to acquire Greenland, but that he was “seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the United States”.
Uncertainty lingers for Greenlanders after Trump Davos speech: ‘We don’t sleep well’
US negotiating 'total access' to Greenland, says Trump
13:58 , Maira ButtPresident Donald Trump has said he wants “total access” over Greenland amid reports by Nato chief Mark Rutte that the alliance had agreed to a preliminary “framework deal”.
The details of the deal have not been unpacked in great detail but it now appears that it means significant control over the territory.
“Everything comes over Greenland. If the bad guys start shooting, it comes over Greenland,” Trump told Fox news after his trip to Davos.
“It's pretty invaluable. It's amazing. You know, Ronald Reagan had the idea a long time ago, but we didn't have any technology at that point. The concept was great, but there was no technology. Now we have unbelievable technology.”
Asked what this meant in practice, he expanded, saying: “I mean, we're talking about, it's really being negotiated now, the details of it, but essentially it's total access. There's no end, there's no time limit.”
Explained: What is Trump’s ‘board of peace’ and could it replace the UN?
13:00 , Maira ButtOne of the more significant moments at the World Economic Forum in Davos will be the formal signing of the charter of the “board of peace”. This is very much a Donald Trump project, and he has already nominated himself as chair of the board, indefinitely. Originally conceived as part of his Gaza peace plan, it is now taking on a far wider role, seeking to settle disputes across the globe.
Sean O’Grady reports:
What is Trump’s ‘board of peace’ and could it replace the UN?
Analysis: No military force on Greenland but Trump’s biggest threat came in what he didn’t say at Davos
12:40 , Maira ButtDonald Trump both settled nerves but left the Alpine air in Davos heavy with threat. Promising he would not use force to annex Greenland, he went on to warn that if he didn’t get hold of the vast island of ice, “we will remember”.
Did this amount to “give me Greenland or I’ll back Russia in Ukraine completely”?
He didn’t say it out loud, but in a long, rambling speech peppered with statistics snatched from his imaginarium, Trump consciously avoided revealing what the “or else” part of his threat actually meant.
The Independent’s world affairs editor Sam Kiley reports:
No military force on Greenland but Trump’s biggest threat came in what he didn’t say
EU leaders to rethink US relationship despite Trump U-turn
11:22 , Maira ButtEuropean leaders will rethink their ties with the United States despite a U-turn by President Donald Trump on tariffs.
Diplomats told Reuters that the threat of military action to acquire Greenland had shaken their confidence int he alliance.
“Trump crossed the Rubicon. He might do it again. There is no going back to what it was. And leaders will discuss it,” one EU diplomat said.
What is in Trump’s Greenland ‘deal’ – and what is missing?
11:03 , Maira ButtDonald Trump claims to have hashed out the “framework” of a future deal on the Greenland following weeks of threats to annex the Danish territory.
The US president emerged from talks with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte on Wednesday confident that a deal was in sight, and that all parties were happy with it.
Denmark said it was open to dialogue so long as its borders are respected - but have notably not endorsed any aspects of the agreement briefed to the media or discussed publicly by Rutte.
The shape of the arrangement was “a little bit complex”, Trump said, and would have to be explained “down the line”. However, he waived his previous threat of tariffs against European allies in an apparent attempt to defuse tensions.
James C Reynolds reports:
What is in Trump’s Greenland ‘deal’ – and what is missing?
Trump officially launches controversial ‘Board of Peace’ for Gaza in Davos ceremony
10:16 , Maira ButtDonald Trump formally launched his ‘Board of Peace’ for Gaza at a signing ceremony in Davos on Thursday, despite backlash over the invitation of Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu.
The US president signed the document on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum at a ceremony attended by Tony Blair, who was controversially named on the board.
Trump has invited dozens of world leaders to join the initiative, which has been rejected by Washington’s allies including Sir Keir Starmer, who said on Thursday that the UK would not sign the agreement. France and Germany have also declined.
Concerns have been raised by European nations over the unexpected invitation extended to Putin, who has waged a brutal war in Ukraine since February 2022. There has also been anger among Arab states over the inclusion of Netanyahu, whose war in Gaza has led to the deaths of 72,000 Palestinians.
Trump officially launches controversial ‘Board of Peace’ for Gaza in Davos ceremony
Nato chief says minerals exploitation was not discussed
10:04 , Maira ButtNato’s secretary general Mark Rutte has said critical minerals exploitation was not discussed in his talks with President Donald Trump when the pair met in Davos at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday.
He explained that the “framework deal” with Trump that reportedly persuaded the President to withdraw his threat of tariffs, means that Nato allies will have to step up on Arctic security.
Trump had said in his address a Davos that the US did not seek to acquire Greenland for minerals but purely for “national security”.
Watch: Nato chief reveals details of Trump talks in Davos
09:45 , Maira ButtRecap: Trump backs down on Europe tariffs threat over Greenland after reaching ‘framework of a future deal’
09:15 , Maira ButtDonald Trump has reversed course and abandoned plans to impose tariffs on a group of U.S. allies that had objected to his push to acquire Greenland after what the U.S. president described as a “very productive” meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said American and NATO representatives had “formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region” based on discussions held in the closed-door meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
He said the “solution” would be “will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations” if it is “consummated.”
“Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st,” he added.
Trump backs down on tariffs for Europe over Greenland
Nato chief did not propose sovereignty compromise on Greenland, it says
09:00 , Maira ButtNato secretary general Mark Rutte has come an agreement with President Donald Trump over his desire to acquire Greenland.
The “framework of a future deal” was agreed this week as the leaders met in Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum.
But the discussions do not compromise the sovereignty of Greenland, Nato said in a statement on Thursday.
“The secretary general did not propose any compromise to sovereignty during his meeting with the President in Davos,” Nato spokesperson Allison Hart said.
French minister welcomes Trump tariff withdrawal as 'first positive sign'
08:15 , Maira ButtFrench Finance Minister Roland Lescure has welcome President Donald Trump's announcement that he would drop his threat to impose tariffs on a number of nations for their stance on Greenland.
"This is a first positive sign that is moving in the right direction," Lescure told RTL radio on Thursday. “That's basically what we were looking for. The magic word for the last 48 hours has been de-escalation. Right now, we're de-escalating.”
However, he added that he remained "vigilant".
Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland ‘remains unconditional’
07:55 , Maira ButtThe Independent’s political reporter Athena Stavrou reports:
The UK’s foreign secretary Yvette Cooper has been answering questions on the latest developments on Nato and Greenland.She said she hoped “we are now in a much better place”, but said there’s “ going to be a lot of further work going forward”.
Ms Cooper did not specify details of the reported deal, but told Sky News her understanding is that “we have a process going forward”.
Asked on whether the UK had seen the deal and whether it was happy with it, she said: “Well I think there are two things that I would now expect to happen.“
The first is a return to some of the discussions that Denmark and Greenland had asked for with the United States, where they had begun those discussions in Washington last week and that’s what they want to focus on.
“It’s some very practical discussions about Greenland’s security, whilst being very, very clear that Greenland sovereignty is not up for negotiation.”
Nato chief says he has discussed with Trump how to keep Arctic safe
07:40 , Maira ButtMark Rutte, secretary general of Nato, has said he has discussed Arctic security with President Donald Trump.
"We discussed with Trump how we can make sure Nato can ensure Arctic is safe,” he told the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday.
“We had a very good discussion on that.”
The Nato chief said further talks would “make sure when it comes to Greenland particularly, that we ensure that the Chinese and the Russians will not gain access to the Greenland economy (or) militarily to Greenland.”
Putin says Trump’s bid to seize Greenland is not Russia's concern
06:40 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarRussian president Vladimir Putin said Donald Trump's efforts to seize Greenland do not concern Moscow "at all".
"What happens to Greenland is none of our business," Putin said in his televised remarks at the National Security Council meeting late last night.
"Incidentally, Denmark has always treated Greenland as a colony and has been quite harsh, if not cruel, towards it. But that's a different matter entirely, and I doubt anyone's interested in it right now.
"It certainly doesn't concern us. I think they'll sort it out among themselves," he added, reminding that in 1917, Denmark had sold the Virgin Islands to the U.S.
Putin recalled that Russia had sold Alaska to the U.S. in 1867 for $7.2m. He estimated that the price for Greenland could be $200-250m, adding that the U.S. might "shell out" up to $1bn, according to Sputnik News.
Karoline Leavitt falsely claims Trump didn’t mix up Iceland and Greenland
06:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarWhite House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has falsely claimed that President Trump did not repeatedly mix up Iceland and Greenland in a marquee speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, as the Republican detailed his contentious plans to take control of the latter island.
“No he didn’t,” Leavitt wrote on X in response to a reporter accurately describing the speech, sharing a Google result featuring an image of Greenland. “His written remarks referred to Greenland as a ‘piece of ice’ because that’s what it is. You’re the only one mixing anything up here.”
In fact, during the president’s speech on Wednesday, he used the wrong country’s name four times.
“I’m helping Europe, I’m helping NATO, and until the last few days, when I told them about Iceland, they loved me,” Trump told the crowd at one point.
More here.
Karoline Leavitt falsely claims Trump didn’t mix up Iceland and Greenland at Davos
Trump hits out at Nato and Europe as he doubles down on demands for Greenland
05:26 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS president Donald Trump has launched a fresh attack on Nato and Europe as he doubled down on his demands for Greenland – but backed down on using force.
In an extraordinary speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, he said he wanted immediate talks to discuss acquiring the Danish territory, but vowed he would “not use force” to seize it.
The increasingly volatile president hit out at Nato, claiming the US has “never gotten anything” from being part of the alliance and arguing that a US takeover of Greenland is “a very small ask” compared with what his country has done for its fellow members.
More here.
Trump hits out at Europe and doubles down on Greenland demands – but won’t use force
'Not for sale's posters pop up in Greenland
05:20 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar Al Gore says Trump ‘taking a wrecking ball’ to Nato
05:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarFormer vice president Al Gore has likened Donald Trump’s attempt to “take a wrecking ball” to Nato with his remarks over Greenland to the demolition of the White House’s East Wing, calling the president’s actions “insane.”
“Nato has been a tremendous foreign policy achievement for the United States as our effort to build up other alliances, to establish the rule of law, a rules based order, all of that has benefited the United States enormously,” Gore said, speaking to reporters at the World Economic Forum.
“And to try to take a wrecking ball to these alliances, the way he took a wrecking ball to the East Wing is literally insane.”
Al Gore says Trump ‘tried taking a wrecking ball’ to NATO as he did to the East Wing
Petition telling Trump 'hands off Greenland' gets over 70,000 signatures
04:40 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarA petition calling for U.S. president Donald Trump to take his hands off Greenland has garnered over 72,800 signatures."Donald Trump is threatening to take over Greenland—a country already struggling to gain independence," the petition read.
It added: "The Trump administration does not care about the people of Greenland—it cares about location and mineral resources. The people of Greenland deserve to have true representation and freedom—not to be treated as political pawns, passed around from one colonial power grab to the next.
"Trump, who has been adamant about seizing the Danish territory, claimed yesterday that a deal was in sight to end a dispute over the Danish territory that risked the deepest rupture in transatlantic relations in decades.
Danish MP says Trump's claims of a Greenland deal 'not real'
03:43 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarDanish MP has said that the deal Donald Trump claims to have struck over Greenland is "definitely not a deal".
Sascha Faxe told Sky News that the deal the U.S. president claims to have struck with Nato over Greenland is “not real”. “The thing is, there can’t be a deal without having Greenland as part of the negotiations, first of all,” Faxe said.
Trump yesterday abruptly stepped back from threats to impose tariffs as leverage to seize Greenland, ruled out the use of force and suggested a deal was in sight to end a dispute over the Danish territory.
Faxe referenced earlier comments from Aaja Chemnitz Larsen, a Greenlandic member of the Danish parliament, saying: “I have heard from the Greenlanders that I know - so we have a Greenlandic MP in Denmark – and she’s very clear that this is not a prerogative of Rutte and Nato; they can’t trade the underground in Greenland, or Greenlandic security without Greenlanders being part of it.”
“And they are very clear: Greenland is not for sale, they are not up for negotiations,” Faxe added.
“So it’s not real negotiations, it’s two men who have had a conversation,” she said. “It’s definitely not a deal.”
Rutte says Greenland was not part of talks with Trump
03:40 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarDonald Trump met with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte and claimed that Western Arctic allies could forge a new deal over Greenland that would satisfy his desire for a "Golden Dome" missile-defense system and access to critical minerals while blocking Russia and China's ambitions in the Arctic.
However, Rutte later said the issue of whether Greenland will remain with Denmark did not come up in his talks with Trump.
"That issue did not come up anymore in my conversations tonight with the president," Rutte told Fox News.
"He (Trump) is very much focused on what do we need to do to make sure that that huge Arctic region - where change is taking place at the moment, where the Chinese and the Russians are more and more active - how we can protect it."
What have Denmark and Greenland said in response to Trump's announcement
03:10 , Tara CobhamDenmark said the issue should be handled through private diplomacy rather than on social media.
"What is crucial for us is that we get to end this with respect for the integrity and sovereignty of the kingdom (of Denmark) and the right of the Greenlandic people to self-determination," Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told public broadcaster DR.
Rasmussen said he had spoken with Rutte but declined to provide details on what had been agreed.
Greenland’s government did not reply to a request for comment.
Davey describes Trump's change of heart as 'real relief for households and businesses'
02:00 , Tara CobhamLiberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey described Donald Trump's change of heart as "a real relief for households and businesses" but added: "This sorry saga has proved yet again that Donald Trump is a fundamentally unreliable partner, happy to bully and tantrum until he gets his way.
"We cannot entrust our economy or our safety and security to the whims of an unhinged US president and whether he wakes up in a good mood that day. This must be the wake-up call we need. Only by standing tall with our neighbours can we face down this unpredictability and protect our national interest."
Ireland's deputy premier welcomes Trump's withdrawal of tariff threats
00:00 , Tara CobhamThe withdrawal of the threat of additional tariffs on European countries by President Trump is "a welcome development", Ireland's deputy premier has said.
Simon Harris, the country's Finance Minister, said the "significant development" gave "credence and credibility" to the EU's strategy.
He said the bloc had "maintained cool heads" and had not responded to "every bit of political noise" nor "every Truth Social post".
In a statement, he said: "There's much detail to emerge, and there's still obviously much volatility, but today we have heard the President of the United States rule out force in relation to Greenland.
"We've also now seen in the last number of minutes him withdraw as a threat of additional tariffs.
"But it is important we continue to work collectively as a European Union, and collectively to stand up for the sovereignty of Denmark and Greenland - Greenland being a part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
"And also collectively work to seek the full implementation of the trade agreements that we already agreed with the US administration - an agreement that is key to protecting economic activity on both sides of the Atlantic."
'Today’s progress might be tomorrow’s headache,' Sweden's deputy PM says over potential Greenland deal
Wednesday 21 January 2026 23:50 , Tara CobhamSweden’s deputy prime minister has said that “today’s progress might be tomorrow’s headache” in reference to Donald Trump’s potential Greenland deal.
Ebba Busch told BBC Newsnight: “We don’t know the details of this deal. Today’s progress might be tomorrow’s headache.”
She added: “And we will have a long way to rebuild trust between the EU and the US.”
"Today’s progress might be tomorrow’s headache"
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) January 21, 2026
Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch says a framework deal on Greenland is “good news”, but EU countries have "a long way" to rebuild trust with President Trump after the threat of tariffs over the territory.#Newsnight pic.twitter.com/N1mW9EpojW
Spain urges EU to create joint army amid Greenland dispute
Wednesday 21 January 2026 23:50 , Tara CobhamSpain is urging the EU to move towards creating a joint army for the bloc as a deterrence measure, Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said in comments to Reuters on Wednesday ahead of a day of meetings in Davos.
The region should focus first on bringing together its tangible assets to properly integrate its defence industry, and then mobilising a coalition of the willing, the foreign minister said.
The concern over whether European citizens would be willing to assemble militarily is a legitimate debate, but the chance of assembling a critical mass was higher as a bloc than on a national level, Albares said, adding: ”A joint effort would be more efficient than 27 separate national armies.”
Greenland deal framework 'must have been something that had been prepared in advance'
Wednesday 21 January 2026 23:41 , Tara CobhamA former UK National Security Adviser has said the potential deal over Greenland announced by Donald Trump “must have been something that had been prepared in advance”.
Lord Ricketts told BBC Newsnight: “Mark Rutte, the secretary general of Nato, is not in a position to negotiate away Danish sovereignty over any part of Greenland, so this must have been something that had been prepared in advance. I assume it relates to the bases because he was talking there about security.”
"This must have been something that had been prepared in advance..."
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) January 21, 2026
Former UK National Security Adviser Lord Ricketts tells #Newsnight that he "assumes" the framework of the Greenland deal "relates to the bases" located within the territory.#Newsnight pic.twitter.com/Njiv4XK3LW
NATO allies will collectively work to ensure Arctic security, NATO says
Wednesday 21 January 2026 23:00 , Tara CobhamNato allies will work to collectively ensure Arctic security, a Nato spokesperson said on Wednesday.
"Discussions among Nato Allies on the framework the President referenced will focus on ensuring Arctic security through the collective efforts of Allies, especially the seven Arctic Allies," the spokesperson said.
"Negotiations between Denmark, Greenland, and the United States will go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold - economically or militarily - in Greenland."
After weeks of rhetoric that risked the deepest rupture in transatlantic relations in decades, US President Donald Trump abruptly stepped back on Wednesday from threats to impose tariffs as leverage to seize Greenland, and said a deal was in sight to end the dispute.
