World leaders are watching closely to see what Donald Trump says in Davos later today, particularly about his repeated remarks on “taking” Greenland.
Ahead of Trump’s speech, Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has sought to bring order to Europe’s largely incoherent response, telling the European Parliament that the EU should abandon “traditional caution” and move faster on economic and defence policy in “a world defined by raw power.”
In particular, there is growing—though still divided—talk about Europe unleashing a trade “bazooka” in response to any U.S. tariffs linked to Greenland. Von der Leyen said she preferred “dialogue and solutions” but insisted the EU was “fully prepared to act, if necessary, with unity, urgency and determination.”
U.S. treasury secretary Scott Bessent urged Europeans to avoid “reflexive anger” and instead “take a breath.”
Why don’t they sit down, wait for President Trump to get here and listen to his argument because I think they are going to be persuaded.
European officials were no doubt further frustrated by Bessent suggesting that the continent couldn’t stop the U.S. even if it wanted to. He dismissed some threats as “irrelevant” and said about others: “I am not concerned at all.”
NATO chief Mark Rutte has been careful not to give his own opinion on the affair, but did say on Wednesday morning that “I can assure you, the only way to deal with that is, in the end, thoughtful diplomacy.” His comments matter because many leaders—including those in Hungary and, at times, Germany—see the control of Greenland as a NATO issue rather than an EU one.
Michael Curzon is a news writer for europeanconservative.com based in England’s Midlands. He is also Editor of Bournbrook Magazine, which he founded in 2019, and previously wrote for London’s Express Online. His Twitter handle is @MichaelCurzon_.
