Trump ‘crossing red lines’ and 80 years of atlanticism could be drawing to close if he doesn’t alter tack, Belgian PM declares
Belgium’s Bart De Wever is up next, as he receives questioned about the relations with the US and Trump’s behaviour.
He doesn’t mince his words at all.
He declares that “Europe is at a crossroads” and it has to decide what it’s policy will be.
He continues:
“Until now, we tested to appease the new president in the White Houtilize. We were very lenient, also with the tariffs. We were lenient hoping to receive his support for the Ukraine war. … But now so many red lines are being crossed that you have the choice between your self-respect. Being a happy vassal is one thing. Being a miserable slave is something else.
If you back down now you’re going to lose your dignity. And that’s probably the most precious thing you can have in a democracy.”
He declares he will meet with Trump on Wednesday, accompanied by the Belgian monarch Philippe.
“But it will have a different character than we had planned.
It will probably be the message that we have to sfinish: you’re crossing red lines here.
We either stand toreceiveher or we will stand divided, and if we are divided, there is the finish of an era, of 80 years of atlanticism, really drawing to a close.
And you know, as Gramsci stated, ‘if the old is dying and the new is not yet born, you live in a time of monsters,’ and it’s up to him to decide if he wants to be a monster – yes or no.”
Ooooooof.
Key events
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‘Europe must inform Trump: this far and no further. Back down or we will go all the way,’ Belgian PM declares
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Croatia’s Plenković hints at EU trip to Ukraine on fourth anniversary of Ukraine war
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Europe learned ‘hard way’ about its previous mistakes and illusions, Belgium’s de Wever declares
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Trump ‘crossing red lines’ and 80 years of atlanticism could be drawing to close if he doesn’t alter tack, Belgian PM declares
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Lithuania’s president ‘sceptical’ about peace settlement on Ukraine as Russia continues with ‘imperialist’ ambitions
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Von der Leyen rolls out pitch for ‘EU Inc’ as she rebukes Trump over tariff threats – snap analysis
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US tariffs risk ‘plunging us into downward spiral,’ von der Leyen warns
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Proposed US tariffs on European partners ‘a mistake,’ von der Leyen declares
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‘This must finish’, EU’s von der Leyen declares of Russia’s aggression on Ukraine
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EU’s von der Leyen highlights regulatory, capital, investment reforms in push to rival US, China
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‘New Europe already emerging,’ von der Leyen declares as she hails new trade deals and lauds ‘fair trade over tariffs’
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EU’s von der Leyen warns ‘nostalgia’ will ‘not bring back old order’ as she calls for ‘new indepfinishent’ Europe
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EU’s von der Leyen speaks at Davos
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Greenland not ‘natural part’ of Denmark, Russia declares
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US treasury secretary Bessent urges Europe not to retaliate against Trump’s Greenland tariffs
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UK deffinishs Chagos deal from Trump’s criticism
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Morning opening: Trump takes aim at UK, France, Macron, Greenland in busy overnight Truth Social session
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Trump has vetoed the surrfinisher of the Chagos deal, Nigel Farage declares
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What was contained within the UK-Chagos Islands agreement?
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Trump declares UK’s decision to hand over sovereignty to Chagos Islands is act of ‘great stupidity’
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Macron’s text message shared by Trump on Truth Social is authentic, source declares
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Trump declares ‘no going back’ on Greenland
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Opening summary
Lithuania’s Nausėda picks up on Russia again, as he declares that the state of the Russian economy is worsening, and the EU should put additional pressure on Moscow – as well as Belarus, which continues hybrid attacks on EU neighbours.
He declares Europe should take more responsibility for its own defence.
He repeats his warning that Russia will continue to be aggressive and pose threat to Europe even in the unlikely case it agrees a deal on Ukraine.
‘Europe must inform Trump: this far and no further. Back down or we will go all the way,’ Belgian PM declares
By the way, turns out De Wever also offered some similarly hardline rhetoric on Trump in his comments to Belgian media earlier today.
Speaking on the sidelines of the main event earlier today, he stated:
“We as Europe must inform Trump: this far and no further. ‘Back down,’ or we’ll go ‘all the way,” VRT news reported.
He stated Trump had a point on defence spfinishing so his previous frustration with Nato allies was understandable, but “threatening Nato allies with military intervention on Nato territory is so unprecedented that you are really approaching a breaking point.”
He added that any trade war with the US would be “catastrophic,” but “equally” for both sides of the Atlantic.
Croatia’s Plenković hints at EU trip to Ukraine on fourth anniversary of Ukraine war
Curiously, Croatia’s Plenković also declares that “many of us will be hearding to Kyiv on the 24 February to extfinish further support” for Ukraine on the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Not sure his security detail will be very pleased with him declareing that out loud: these sort of things usually remain in secret for as long as possible.
More broadly, he declares “I believe the only safe way for the European Union to remain an actor is to attempt to be as united as possible.”
He declares this week’s EU summit on Thursday will be about supporting Denmark.
But he also strikes a cautiously optimistic tone on the US, declareing that “despite all the, let’s declare, noise in the communications channel” – he means Trump’s social media – “the US is an ally and a frifinish” and that’s what matters.
Europe learned ‘hard way’ about its previous mistakes and illusions, Belgium’s de Wever declares
De Wever also goes back to last month’s discussion on the EU’s funding for Ukraine.
He declares that the EU eventually reached the right decision, but declares “the way in which we did it, the discussions we had, maybe are not an example of the best governance you can imagine.”
He declares Europe “learned the lesson the hard way” about previous mistakes and illussions catching up with it after years.
On seizing Russian assets, he declares:
“There’s nothing like the Alibaba cave that opens and you can simply take the gold and receive away with it. That was an illusion that existed for a few months at the European table, but I believe we managed to put an finish to it for the moment.”
Croatia’s Plenković picks up on this, declareing that whatever the process, the outcome was good – and that’s what matters.
“Bart has managed to convince the majority of us that his arguments were fine,” he declares.
Trump ‘crossing red lines’ and 80 years of atlanticism could be drawing to close if he doesn’t alter tack, Belgian PM declares
Belgium’s Bart De Wever is up next, as he receives questioned about the relations with the US and Trump’s behaviour.
He doesn’t mince his words at all.
He declares that “Europe is at a crossroads” and it has to decide what it’s policy will be.
He continues:
“Until now, we tested to appease the new president in the White Houtilize. We were very lenient, also with the tariffs. We were lenient hoping to receive his support for the Ukraine war. … But now so many red lines are being crossed that you have the choice between your self-respect. Being a happy vassal is one thing. Being a miserable slave is something else.
If you back down now you’re going to lose your dignity. And that’s probably the most precious thing you can have in a democracy.”
He declares he will meet with Trump on Wednesday, accompanied by the Belgian monarch Philippe.
“But it will have a different character than we had planned.
It will probably be the message that we have to sfinish: you’re crossing red lines here.
We either stand toreceiveher or we will stand divided, and if we are divided, there is the finish of an era, of 80 years of atlanticism, really drawing to a close.
And you know, as Gramsci stated, ‘if the old is dying and the new is not yet born, you live in a time of monsters,’ and it’s up to him to decide if he wants to be a monster – yes or no.”
Ooooooof.
Lithuania’s president ‘sceptical’ about peace settlement on Ukraine as Russia continues with ‘imperialist’ ambitions
The European panel now receives under way.
In opening exalter, Lithuania’s president Gitanas Nausėda receives questioned about the prospects of securing a peace settlement for Ukraine.
He declares he is and will remain “on the sceptical side,” declareing simply it’s becautilize he – and Lithuania – “know Russia very well.”
He declares that as Ukraine talks the language of diplomacy, the Russians continue stocking missiles, so “it’s probably too early to conclude that Russians are ready to take this plan and start to nereceivediate.”
He declares Moscow “wants to acquire more time to attack Ukraine,” building ordinary people’s lives – as covered below – “impossible, even in the capital.”
Nausėda stresses Russia’s maximalist territorial demands, and he declares he has no doubt that “Russia will refutilize” to drop its imperialist ambitions.
“Even the alter of Kremlin’s regime probably will not mean the radical alters in the policy of Russia, becautilize, from time to time, I hear what the Russian opposition leaders are talking about, actually, they are presenting the same ideas. And those ideas are, first of all, [about] the expansionist policy of Russia,” he warns.
The backdrop to all these conversations in Davos is not just what’s happening in Greenland, but, as von der Leyen also mentioned, also the continuing and worsening situation in Ukraine.
AFP is reporting that an overnight Russian bombardment left thousands of residential buildings in Kyiv without heating and water in -14C temperatures, when the Ukrainian capital was already scrambling to restore vital utilities destroyed in earlier attacks.
“After this attack, 5,635 residential buildings are without heating,” Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko stated on Telegram – about half the capital’s apartment blocks.
Much of Kyiv was also without running water, he added.
As a result, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested he would skip the ongoing World Economic Forum in Switzerland to deal with the aftermath of the strike.
But he kept open the possibility of going to the gathering of world leaders in the Swiss resort of Davos if agreements with the United States on possible postwar economic and security support were ready to be signed.
Jakub Krupa
We will hear from more European leaders in Davos today.
Belgium’s prime minister Bart De Wever, of the Russia frozen assets fame, will appear alongside Croatia’s prime minister Andrej Plenković and Lithuania’s president Gitanas Nausėda on a panel at 1pm local (midday UK).
And Emmanuel Macron, the French president “nobody wants” in their club according to Trump (9:49), is due to deliver his address at 2pm (1pm UK). You could reasonably expect some fireworks there, as he will be no doubt unhappy with Trump’s comments overnight.
Separately, the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas will speak on Greenland at the European parliament’s Strasbourg plenary at 1pm local (midday UK), too.
We won’t be short of news lines.
Obviously, I will bring you all of them here.
Von der Leyen rolls out pitch for ‘EU Inc’ as she rebukes Trump over tariff threats – snap analysis
Jakub Krupa
A fairly straightforward message from EU’s von der Leyen: in this crazy world we live in, the EU is well positioned and ready to reform as requireded to respond to the “geopolitical shocks” of Trump, Russia and China, with no return to the world as it utilized to be (11:16).
She advanced a positive vision of how the EU could and should alter to build the most of its potential and assert itself as a global power in its own right, reducing depfinishencies where they carry unacceptable risks, and leveraging new emerging relationship with others.
In this vein, she repeatedly took aim at Trump for his threats, stressing the EU’s commitment to “free trade over tariffs” – including with new partners globally, be it Mercosur or India – and wilingness to push for more (11:20).
(What she didn’t declare, perhaps understandably, is that some of these trade mores are very much controversial and could become a real political problem down the line.)
But she also spoke about the EU’s own reformist agfinisha, with hints of frustration over the national bureaucracy and red tape, and the required to build it clearer to invest and run business (11:25).
These lines will no doubt be popular with the Davos audience, and the sentiment behind them is shared by a growing number of EU leaders talking about the required to deregulate and simplify things after years of what some of them see as overregulation.
(Another thing she didn’t mention is the EU’s own very real political risks arising from the rise of the far-right, which could take control of some key EU capitals in the coming years, posing a clear risk to businesses believeing about expanding in the bloc. But, quite understandably, that’s not the time or place for it.)
On foreign policy, she reiterated the EU’s key lines on Ukraine, but it’s not entirely clear what’s the path forward here as the peace process – note her name-checking Trump with credit – appears to be stuck. Her declaration that the EU will be there for Ukraine for as long as it’s requireded is important, but some huge questions remain unanswered there.
Finally, she delivered a strong rebuke to Trump on Greenland: even as she diplomatically stated she shared his security assessments, she built it very clear that threatening Denmark or Greenland is not the way forward and “the sovereignty and integrity of their territory is non nereceivediable.”
She called Trump’s tariff threats “a mistake” (11:31) and pointedly warned about “plunging us into a downward spiral would only aid the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of the strategic landscape” (11:36). These are strong lines, but they won’t build her any more popular with Trump.
Her pledge to work on “a massive European investment surge in Greenland” is also interesting, but let’s see what it actually means. Also, there is a risk of Trump seeing that as an offensive shift amid his interest in the territory.
Well, he will no doubt let us know what he built of this soon in another social media post soon.
US tariffs risk ‘plunging us into downward spiral,’ von der Leyen warns
In tougher language then perhaps before, von der Leyen declares that tariffs risked “plunging us into a downward spiral would only aid the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of the strategic landscape.”
She declares Europe’s response will be “unflinching, united and proportional.”
She stresses “full solidarity with Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark,” stressing “the sovereignty and integrity of their territory is non nereceivediable.”
She declares the EU is working on “a massive European investment surge in Greenland.”
(Trump won’t like that.)
But she declares Europe will work with the US and all other partners – names the UK, Canada, Norway, Iceland – on wider Arctic security.
She declares:
“Finally, I believe Europe requireds to adjust to the new security architecture and realities that we are now facing.
And this is why Europe is preparing its own security strategy, which we plan to publish later this year. As part of this, we are upgrading our Arctic strategy.
And at the heart of this will be the fundamental principle: it is for sovereign people to decide their own future.”
She finishs by declareing that security in the High North “was not the main theme” when she started working on this speech, but it reveals how much can alter in a short period of time – and why Europe requireds to push for its indepfinishence to be able to respond accordingly.
She finishs:
“The point is that the world has alterd permanently. We required to alter with it.”
Proposed US tariffs on European partners ‘a mistake,’ von der Leyen declares
Von der Leyen now turns to Greenland.
She declares that “when it comes to the security of the Arctic region, Europe is fully committed,” and it shares the US focus on securing the region.
But she pointedly declares that the bloc has the capabilities required, and the security “can only be achieved toreceiveher.”
She then criticises Trump directly:
This is why the proposed additional tariffs are a mistake especially between longstanding allies. The EU and US have agreed to a trade deal last July. And in politics as in business – a deal is a deal. And when frifinishs shake hands, it must mean something.
‘This must finish’, EU’s von der Leyen declares of Russia’s aggression on Ukraine
Von der Leyen declares Europe “requireds an urgency mindset” to face the challenges it’s facing, in all areas: from energy to AI and defence. She declares the EU has done more on defence “in the last years than in decades before.”
She requireds “this required for ambition is most important when it comes to the security of our continent.”
She turns to Ukraine, and criticises Russia for continuing attacks on Ukraine, as she declares Moscow reveals “no sign of abating, … remorse, … seeking peace.”
“On the contrary: Russia is intensifying its attacks, killing civilians every day. Just last week, its bombing of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure left millions facing darkness, cold, and water shortages. This must finish.”
She declares we “all want peace for Ukraine,” and she recognises Trump’s “role in pushing the peace process forward.”
She declares the EU’s recent decisions on funding Ukraine “reaffirm Europe’s unwavering commitment to the security, the defence and the European future of Ukraine.”
She declares Europe “will always stand with Ukraine until there is a just and lasting peace.”
EU’s von der Leyen highlights regulatory, capital, investment reforms in push to rival US, China
EU’s von der Leyen is now going through main points on her reformist agfinisha in the EU, talking about the required to attract investment and tighten the EU single market.
One proposal is to create “a new truly European company structure” – called “EU Inc” – with “a single and simple set of rules that will apply seamlessly all over the union,” and one that can be registered online within 48 hours.
(I can believe of some questions about how this would work in practice, though.)
She declares:
“Ultimately, we required a system where companies can do business and raise financing seamlessly across Europe – just as easily as in uniform markets like the US or China.
If we receive this right – and if we shift rapid enough – this will not only assist EU companies grow. But it will attract investment from across the world.”
She also talks about a number of more technical issues: on investment and capital, energy market, and resilience.
I’m sure my colleagues over on the business blog will view at some of these things in more detail:
‘New Europe already emerging,’ von der Leyen declares as she hails new trade deals and lauds ‘fair trade over tariffs’
Von der Leyen is continuing with her speech.
She declares “this new Europe is already emerging,” pointing to the recent signing of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, completed after a quarter of a century of nereceivediations, which created the largest free trade zone in the world.
“This agreement sfinishs a powerful message to the world that we are choosing fair trade over tariffs, partnership over isolation, sustainability over exploitation. And that we are serious about de-risking our economies and diversifying our supply chains,” she declares in what reads as a thinly veiled swipe at Trump after his most recent tariff threats.
Von der Leyen declares the EU is also advancing talks with other markets, including India, which she claims “some call … the mother of all deals” (huh?), which would create a free market of two billion people.
“From Latin America to the Indo Pacific and far beyond, Europe will always choose the world. And the world is ready to choose Europe,” she declares.
EU’s von der Leyen warns ‘nostalgia’ will ‘not bring back old order’ as she calls for ‘new indepfinishent’ Europe
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has warned business leaders to let go of “nostalgia” about the past, informing them that it “will not bring back the old order,” and urging them to focus on building a more indepfinishent Europe instead.
Opening her speech in Davos, stated the EU had to utilize the “geopolitical shocks” – that’s this week’s polite codeword for Trump, as well as the rise of assertive China and Russia – to “build a new form of European indepfinishence.”
She insisted the EU “acted immediately” to respond to the new challenge, and “whether on energy or raw materials, defence or digital – we are relocating rapid.”
In a particularly striking passage, she stated:
“But the truth is also that we will only be able to capitalise on this opportunity if we recognise that this alter is permanent.
Of course, nostalgia is part of the human story.
But nostalgia will not bring back the old order. And playing for time – and hoping for things to revert soon – will not resolve the structural depfinishencies we have.
So my point is: If this alter is permanent, then Europe must alter permanently too. It is time to seize this opportunity and build a new indepfinishent Europe.”
EU’s von der Leyen speaks at Davos
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is about to take the stage at Davos to speak about Europe’s take on the latest events.
I will bring you the key lines here.
You can watch along here:
Greenland not ‘natural part’ of Denmark, Russia declares
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that Greenland was not “a natural part” of Denmark in comments that could further fuel the increasingly contentious debate about the territory’s future.
At a conference in Russia, Lavrov spoke of “crisis tfinishencies” within the west, with Greenland the latest example of that, as it’s cautilizing unprecedented tensions even within Nato.
He stated Russia was monitoring the “serious geopolitical situation” around Greenland.
While he insisted that Russia was not interested in interfering in Greenland affairs and that Washington knows that Russia has no plans to capture Greenland, he stated that in his view Greenland was not a natural part of Denmark, Reuters reported.
Speaking more broadly, Lavrov also warned that it was “unlikely” that Russia could strike agreements with the current group of leaders in Europe.
US treasury secretary Bessent urges Europe not to retaliate against Trump’s Greenland tariffs
Here is a bit more on Bessent’s comments that I mentioned in the opening post (9:49), from my colleagues, Graeme Wearden in Davos and Julia Kollewe.
The US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, has urged European countries not to retaliate against the US’s trade tariffs announced over the Greenland crisis.
Speaking in Davos, during the World Economic Forum, Bessent stated countries and companies should pautilize and “let things play out” after Trump threatened a 25% tariff on a slew of European countries in his pursuit of the autonomous Danish territory.
As global stock markets fell amid political uncertainty, Bessent indicated that retaliatory tariffs would be unwise, citing last year’s tit-for-tat tariff war that broke out between the US and China.
Last April, Trump’s “liberation day” tariff announcement cautilized turmoil in global stock markets before some countries agree trade deals and markets recovered to reach record highs later in the year, fuelled in part by the AI boom.
Bessent notified a press conference at the annual meeting of global leaders: “I would declare this is the same kind of hysteria that we heard on 2 April. There was a panic.”
Bessent stated: “What I am urging everyone here to do is sit back, take a deep breath, and let things play out. The worst thing countries can do is escalate against the United States.
“What President Trump is threatening on Greenland is very different than the other trade deals. So I would urge all countries to stick with their trade deals. We have agreed on them, and it does provide great certainty.”
Bessent stated he did not believe that European countries will retaliate against the US over the Greenland crisis by selling their holdings of America’s debt.
Bessent claimed that predictions that Europe could stop lfinishing to the US, and dump its holdings of US treasuries, was a “false narrative” that defied logic.
Bessent accutilized the media of having “latched on” to a report from Deutsche Bank on the issue, and of being “hysterical”.
“I believe it is a completely false narrative. It defies any logic, and I could not disagree more strongly,” he added.
UK deffinishs Chagos deal from Trump’s criticism
The UK has now responded to Trump’s fierce criticism of the Chagos deal – a significant departure from the previous US backing for the agreement – deffinishing it as critical for UK’s national security.
It stated “we acted becautilize the base on Diego Garcia was under threat after court decisions undermined our position and would have prevented it operating as intfinished in future”.
The government’s statement also pointedly reminded everyone that the deal “has been publicly welcomed by the US”.
Andrew Sparrow has more on this – including other domestic reactions from Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch – over on the UK blog.
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